The Journal Of a Mental Patient: Sparrow's Wife
by Kizu Mizu
Summary: Captain Sparrow married? A young woman transported into a movie? Ramblings from a crazed institutionalized woman, or a true tale of adventure, hardship and love? You decide. AU
1. Prologue: Chloe's Introduction

What if you were a normal, healthy, twenty-year-old and you hated your life? I know, sounds like something out of every teen drama, right? Things always go wrong, people laugh at you and shun you, treat you like a leper because you were 'strange.' Enduring the torment of being different?

I lived with that every day of my life, every moment just because I lived and breathed for something other than the latest fashion trend, or debating who the hottest wide receiver was, or whatever. I slept, ate and drank Pirates of the Caribbean.

And I'm not just talking about the movie. The ride is what started it all. My parents would drop me off there when Disneyland opened, and come back when the sun was going down and I'd still be there. I made pirate jokes, wrote pirate stories, wore pirate clothes I picked up at a costume store. And not those lame costumes, you know the ones I'm talking about…they look like they've come from the back of a K-mart store and there is nothing you can do to make them look even remotely real. No lame ass costumes for me. I had the whole package. I'm talking real leather belt, authentic poofy-sleeved shirt, dark breeches and the boots that are just the coolest. Bucket boots. You know, the kind that should be up to your knees, but instead it folds over? Yeah. I had a pair of those. I wore them and the rest of my costume day in and day out. My mother had to fairly knock me unconscious to get them off of me just to wash them.

As if that wasn't enough, I went around school shouting "Shiver me timbers!" and knew the entire song, "A Pirate's Life for Me" and would sing it with the least provocation. I even remember a time when I was sent to the principal's office for telling a teacher I was going to make him walk the plank. I know what you're thinking, and my mother thought the same thing. So she did some drastic changing in both of our lives.

She pulled me out of public school, enrolling me in the all-girls' hellhole of Saint Catherine's. I still shudder when I think of the two years I spent there. She also took away my pirate outfit, my earrings; she made me unravel all of my beaded braids and comb my hair. She also burned my bandanna. Burned it! I'm not talking just throwing it out with the banana peels and yogurt cartons, no; she straight up lit it with her butane lighter, right there in the middle of the kitchen. Needless to say, I was upset. I didn't take too well to the adjustment; our relationship deteriorated and I became one of those stereotypical pubescent kids who hated their parents. But, in our case it worked. She avoided me, and I avoided her. I failed classes, she'd lecture, and I would just roll my eyes when she turned her back.

Okay, so you know a little background as to how I came to be in the state I am in now. But you really don't know who I am, or even, _where_ I am. If you could see what I see, you'd wish you didn't. I am currently a resident of Shady Palms Mental Health Center, where they drop the crazies who refuse to progress in their treatments. The walls are bare; they don't allow pictures to break up the monotony of the chipping paint. The bed is against the far wall, away from the big door with the viewing window that makes me feel like a fucking goldfish. You ever felt that way? Trust me, it isn't fun. I don't recommend it. But anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself.

This whole thing started about two years ago, when Disney decided to make a movie. And in making that movie, they changed my life forever. They introduced, an already over-the-deep-end pirate-lover, to Captain Jack Sparrow. The first time I saw the movie I almost fainted. I'm sure a lot of girls could say that, with Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom in the same movie together. Gasp! But anyway, that was not _my_ reason for feeling faint. I was under the thrall of Captain Jack Sparrow. Captain Jack had this charisma about him that fairly screamed at the buried portion of my soul, the part that had long since been silenced, but now awakened by the swashbuckling tale and pulsing with longings for the open ocean.

My pirate obsession resurfaced. I flaked from my job, my friends, and the current boyfriend who was more interested in increasing his stock holdings than what I was up to. Only when I started fooling around with kohl and braiding beads, coins and bone into my hair did he ask me if something was bothering me. I assured him nothing was the matter, and began a full-scale search for the perfect pirate outfit. He would shrug off the light under the computer room door at three in the morning, thinking my incessant scanning of E Bay was me trying to find the best costume. Halloween was only three months away, after all. I won't divulge his name, because it is not important, nor is it relevant to this story.

My name, I'm not sure it's important either, but I'm going to give it to you anyway. Chloe, the name is Chloe. I would tell you my last name, but there is major dispute among the colleagues here at Shady Palms as to this certain fact. They say my name is Chloe McIntyre. I say that it is Chloe Sparrow. And before you leave this as the ranting of a psychotic mental patient, let me tell you one piece of evidence to back my story. I have his ring. The one that Jack Sparrow wore throughout the movie; the silver one with a black looking marble laid in it? Ring any bells? Well that ring is on my finger, and they can't explain where it came from. But I can. I'm not sure it's physically possible, but I know I went into the movie, found and fell in love with the Captain and he with me.

Believe me or not, but it's his ring I have on my finger, and his face forever etched upon my heart. And if you want to hear the tale, I'll tell you.


	2. An Ordinary Day – Extraordinary Results

That day remains one of the most detailed of my life, and the most ambiguous, if that makes sense. I guess I could elaborate. I was a punk eighteen-year-old kid, trying to survive my senior year. We've all felt that, right? The 'I'm-almost-free-but-not-really' anxiety; well, anyway I know I was feeling it. And it just so happened that I did not have school that day. Some sort of standardized test that pigeon-holes student potential, but we won't get into that issue, as that's not part of the story. Being a senior, I was exempt from this test, and so, I could sleep in on that glorious Tuesday morning. Unfortunately, I'm one of those people that cannot sleep later than ten o'clock, no matter how late I am up the night before. Doesn't that annoy the shit out of you? Well it did me, because, I was awake and coherent at the butt crack of dawn, nearly nine. So I hauled myself out of bed, and didn't bother to make my bed. What was the point, really? I would end up unmaking it a few hours from now. Might as well as skip the whole clean up stage entirely.

After I had pulled a hoodie over my night shirt, I moved to the kitchen and proceeded to make myself the best drink in the world. A gargantuan mug of Chai tea; I hate coffee, see? Anyway, I've got my Chai, and my Pirates of the Caribbean socks – found them on E Bay for eight-ninty-five a pair; I bought myself fourteen – and I truck on into the computer room. The room looked like Hurricane Chloe had passed through…multiple times. There were papers, and pictures and e-mails, covering every square inch of surface in the room. I was a big on editing, so many aspiring writers who were getting their start writing smutty Jack fictions or Will and Jack slash would send me the manuscripts and I would read and review and edit for them. They didn't mind the feedback. Around the net, I was known as the forefront authority on Captain Jack Sparrow lingo and character development. If they had a degree for it in college, I would have the Ph.D., savvy? So, I booted up the ancient computer that I found in a garage sale a very long time ago. I grumbled about my messy boyfriend, shoving his share of papers off of the keyboard and settling down to check my messages.

I'm not one of those people who check e-mail. The best place to reach me is at one of the many Pirates of the Caribbean posting forums. I have an account for practically everyone. I don't bother with the ones that obsess about Barbossa and those miscreants. After what they did to Jack, they don't deserve to have one all to their onesie. Oops. Again I've slipped into Jack-speak. Sorry, but his one-line epithets work so well in so many situations. What was I talking about now? Ah yes, so I was checking my messages and I found something disturbing in my inbox. Some woman of lesser intelligence sent her entire story through the private message feature of one of the boards that I visit. This girl could not write herself out of a corner, let me tell you. She rambled on for fourteen bloody chapters about how Jack Sparrow was the most fearsome pirate in the Caribbean. No plot, no conflict, no anything! Needless to say I flamed her pretty bad. I drew great amusement from letting her know that "If CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow ever saw her story he would keel over and die." It was that bad.

After reviewing stories and answering those questions that could not wait, I stretched and tried my best to relieve the pressure in my lower back. I tend to slouch when I'm at the computer for long stretches of time. With a groan I checked my watch. I'd done everything impertinent and it was only ten-fourty-two in the morning. I shrugged. When in doubt, pop in the movie – THE movie. So I headed to the TV room, and put in the Pirates of the Caribbean DVD. With my tri-colored afghan around my shoulders, I tucked my 'Savvy' socks under me and settled down to watch. I was through the English, Spanish and French versions and starting on the extras when I began to feel light-headed, a sure sign of exhaustion. My eyes drooped and I snuggled into the warmth of my blanket, my head resting on the arm of my velour couch.

I woke slowly, eyes blinking rapidly. I wondered briefly if my boyfriend was home. I shrugged and moved to get off of the bed. Instead of the soft fabric of the afghan, I felt the roughness of unprocessed cotton sheets. Cotton? We had nothing of this texture anywhere in the house. I should know; I went shopping for it all. I looked around trying to make out anything that could tip me off as to where I actually was. It was so dark I could stick my hand right in front of my face and I couldn't see it.

"What the . . .?" I muttered, completely confused. Did the electricity go out? Not an uncommon occurrence for the neighborhood, I admitted to myself as I threw my legs over the side of what I was sitting on. My feet encountered smooth floorboards instead of the oatmeal carpet I'd spent eight hours in Home Depot trying to find. _What the hell is going on?_ I wondered, rubbing a hand to my head. I had to be dreaming. That was the only logical explanation. I frowned again and stood up, and began searching for a way out. After banging into an bedside table, a dresser and the wall, I decided against this plan and fell back on, what I'd figured was a bed, with a grunt. This was most definitely not going well. "Where in the hell am I?" I whispered to myself. A sound somewhere to my left has my head whipping around. I watch in fascination as a shaft of blue light drifts into the room and it took a moment for my citified brain to recognize the glow as unadulterated moonlight. A few seconds later, the door was shut, but now a candle flame flickered. I tucked my feet under me and stared at it as it started to move. I watched in fascination, jumping when two glowing eyes appear over the flickering orange light.

_Stupid, candles can't move by themselves._ I chastised myself and frowned at the hovering eyes, that as it drew closer I could see were attached to a body, a very attractive body, by the looks of it. My eyes traveled up the length of him, from the bare toes, up the ragged pants the cloth sash serving as a belt, the poofy-sleeved shirt with the 'V' in the middle, showing a section of tanned, muscular chest. Over the strong line of his throat, the beard hanging in two braids, the lips that any woman would hope to kiss theirs, and finally to the eyes. Dark, mysterious, they showed nothing but the leap and sway of the candle flame in their depths. The hair framing the face was as dark as the eyes, offset by the glint of jewels, beads and a coin in his braids, controlled, or at least kept at bay by a red bandana that hid most of his forehead.

"'Ello," he said in a gravelly voice that nearly sent me into convulsions, the shivers that were running up and down my spine were that severe.

"Wh . . . who are you?" I stuttered, trying to get my tongue around the words, said organ feeling too swollen and immobile to be of much use.

"I think I'll be askin' the questions, lass," he returned evenly. I frowned in confusion.

"If it's a ransom you want, no one will pay. Not a single cent," I cautioned him. He shrugged, setting the candle on the table before walking around, lighting candles until the room was wreathed in the soft, romantic glow of candlelight.

"If that were what I was after, I might consider lettin' ye go, but . . . as it stands now, ye're a stowaway and I'll deal with ye as I please, savvy?"

My head was spinning. With the extra light, I could see him in more detail, and what I saw made my breath congeal in my lungs. It . . . it couldn't be. No dream was this real. But, as I stared at him with wide eyes, I knew that was the only logical explanation. I reached up and pinched myself, jumping at the pain that shot up my arm. Definitely not a dream - _Okay_, I coached myself, _stay calm. Maybe you've sleep-walked and this guy is some kind of drunken psycho_. "St . . . stowaway?" forcing the word at last when I could see him growing agitated at my lack of talking.

"Aye, as it seems ye're on me ship without my permission," he grumbled, eyeing me up and down. I looked at my own clothes and blushed a little. I was talking to a drunken psychotically handsome guy in naught but my pajamas. Not the best position to be in. "Jus' what are ye doin' 'ere lass?"

I frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about," I return evenly, moving slightly, so that more distance lay between the swaying man and me. He looked as though he'd had one too many to drink and was trying his best to stave off the alcohol-induced coma that was, no doubt, pounding at his eyes. "I don't even know where 'here' is." He stared at me for a long moment.

"Well, lass, this be the Black Pearl," he stated, throwing both arms wide and swaying a little side to side. "Ain't she grand?" he asked, happily. My eyes widened and I nodded on instinct. This man was definitely a loony.

"I wouldn't know; I've never seen her," I lied smoothly. The man didn't know my obsession with Pirates, and there was no way he could pick up on my lie. A disturbing thought came to me. Unless he was a stalker and he wanted to rape, rob and murder me. I grimaced, the last thing I wanted to do was lay out some drunken sod, but if he made one wrong mood I was going Tae Kwon Do on his ass. I was, after all a second-degree gold belt, and if the man wanted to play, then, by God, we would rumble.

"Never seen 'er?" he demanded hoarsely, weaving as he made his way over to where I was sitting. "Are ye daft then?" He groaned and clapped a hand to his head. I rolled my eyes.

"No I'm not daft," I corrected him. "What I am, is late for dinner, so if you'll excuse me." I rose and started to push past him, gasping when his hand shot out and closed over my arm. I shifted a little, looking at the hand wrapped around my hoodie incased arm. It was wide-palmed with narrow masculine fingers, a couple of which were adorned with rings. I studied them for a long moment. I fancy hands, you see, so these fascinated me. They were the perfect line, and perfect proportion. They obviously had the strength, and the dexterity to grab onto what they wanted and not let go, but there was also restraint, and gentleness in the way the fingers didn't press into the skin, but encased it in the 'O' they made. "Unhand me, if you please," I said coming back to the present.

He shook his head. "I didn't give ye leave t'go, lass," he said, shaking his head apologetically. "An' no one walks out on Jack Sparrow unless 'e gives 'em leave, savvy?"

"_Captain_ Jack Sparrow," I corrected him automatically. My eyes widened as I realized what I had just said, and that led me to what he just said. "Did you say Captain Jack Sparrow?" He nodded, frowning as my eyes grew wider and wider. "You're Captain Jack Sparrow? You're Captain Jack Sparrow!" I clapped my free hand on my forehead and blew out a breath, "Holy God!" Without another word I fainted dead away.


	3. I’m in a Movie

Chapter Two: I'm in a Movie  
  
Have you noticed that smell is one of the best things for triggering a memory? If you walk by a bakery and catch a whiff of a cooking apple pie, you're thrown back in time, back to simple moments, laughing with the family, maybe your grandmother's kitchen in Kansas or something like that. Unfortunately I didn't have any good smell-based memories. Until the day I fainted into Captain Jack Sparrow's arms.  
  
Normally, you would expect a pirate to smell horrible, seeing as they rarely bathe. Jack on the other hand, was incredibly clean smelling. Sure, he had that masculine scent that no one can erase, no matter how many times they wash, or bars of soap they go through. It's just there and after a while, you learn to appreciate it, even crave it. I drew in a deep breath, my eyes closed. There was something more to Jack's scent than masculinity though; salty sea brine and the warm tang of liquor were the best I could come up with at that moment. Later, I would term in the Essence of Jack. If Liz Claiborne bottled the Essence of Jack, she would be a millionaire right quick. I would snatch that scent up in an instant.  
  
So, it was his smell that first woke me. I shook my head, and moved it slightly, realizing that my face was crushed into the 'V' of his shirt, and my lips were pressed against the warm skin over his breastbone. I felt the thump thump of his heart under them and I moved away slightly.  
  
"Awake are ye?" He asked, an amused smile on his face. He looked cool as a cucumber, and I surmised he probably experienced fainting females quite frequently. I grimace, hating to conform to the usual picture of women, as fainting, flighty creatures who need a husband and five children tugging at her apron.  
  
I felt his eyes on me again and my frown evaporated. "What? Wha - Oh, yeah . . .yes." I nodded and took another step away, wanting to smack myself for the ridiculous answer. There was just something about those eyes that made me into a blathering idiot. Damn him his eyes! I thought darkly, crossing my arms over my chest. "What kind of game is this?" I demanded. His eyebrow winged up.  
  
"Game?" He asked curiously. "I don't know what ye mean, lass."  
  
"You do." I insisted, poking him in the chest, withdrawing my finger when I felt the heat of his skin. Either I'd fallen off of the couch and cracked my head on the floor: unlikely, or I was having the most vivid dream in my life: improbable but still possible. Or this was some elaborate hoax and any minute people would hop out and scream 'Gotcha!'  
  
"Someone must have told you about this obsession I have for Captain Jack Sparrow – Charlie! Did Charlie Cawle put you up to this?" If he did, I was going to kill that boyfriend of mine. Damned Charlie thinking it was funny to play around with my head. The last thing I needed was my boyfriend getting kooky ideas of how to rid me of my Pirates passion.  
  
"I know no one by that name, I'm sorry t'say, but, you're obsessed with me? Really?" He flashed me a charming grin and I rolled my eyes.  
  
"I'm obsessed with a movie character. He's not real." I stared straight into those bewitching eyes and repeated. "You – are – not – real!"  
  
"Oy, but I am, lass." He objected, poking me in response. I shift away from the tickling sensation his finger against my ribs created and I crossed my arms over my chest. "See? And what be a 'movie'?"  
  
I shook my head and reached up to rub my fingers over my temples. This was absolutely not happening! I thought, groaning when I opened my eyes and he was still standing there, watching me with unblinking eyes. "Would you stop that?" I demanded, turning my back on him. "You're making me nervous." I complained, bristling when I heard his chuckle.  
  
"Well, I'm sorry fer that, love, but I need t'ask ye some more questions."  
  
"Well, I'm sorry fer you." I retorted. "Because I am not answering any." I cross my arms again and waited for the explosion. Instead of him being angry, he did something I never thought he would do. He laughed. I whirled around. "Don't laugh at me." He continued to chuckle, holding his stomach and bending over with the force of them. My brows drew together and my eye darkened with anger. Without much thought to my precarious position, I marched up to him and slapped him, putting my whole body weight into the swing of my arm. He grunted and toppled backward, his arms coming up and snagging the sleeve of my shirt, pulling me with him in a tangle of limbs and floating curses. I groan as I felt his elbow jam into my stomach and shoved unceremoniously at his shoulder. "Get off of me, you weigh a ton!" I complained, groaning in pain as his elbow moved, now lodging somewhere under my left breast. Was the man deaf? Did he not understand he had a good fifty pounds on me?  
  
He shifted slightly, bare palm grazing the exposed skin of my stomach. I gasp a little, his hands were rough and work callused, but they were also warm. I reveled in the feel of them against the soft skin around my navel. They contrasted sharply with Charlie's hands, which were kept baby soft with daily vitamin E treatments. In that moment, I forgot Charlie's baby soft hands existed and I wanted Jack's sea-roughened palms to never stop touching me. Then he moved off of me and the moment was broken.  
  
"What was that for?" He demanded, rubbing his cheek. "Bloody 'ell woman, that was worse than any slap I've gotten before."  
  
"Good." I said smartly, adjusting the white tee shirt, covering my stomach. He eyed me with frustration and reached up to rearrange the bandana around his forehead.  
  
"Who are you?" He demanded eyes hard and angry. I wasn't afraid, so I just stared back, the brown of his clashing with the blue of mine.  
  
"Depends." I replied cryptically. He rolled his eyes; apparently going this route was annoying him. I grinned inwardly. Good.  
  
"On what?" He asked, frustration evident in his voice. If he expected me to just answer his questions, then he had yet to meet the likes of Chloe Marie McIntyre.  
  
"All manner of things." I replied sweetly, as I hauled myself off of the floor. He hopped up too and glared at me.  
  
"I'd prefer a straight answer." He growled, dark eyes flashing. I smiled cheekily and shrugged.  
  
"Well, I'd like a '67 Shelby GT 500, but, sigh, we can't always get what we want." I tried to slip past him again, but his arm shot out and his hand wrapped around my arm.  
  
"Aye, well, as captain, I DO get what I want, an' I want yer name." He hissed, and my smile faded. He looked absolutely peeved. I decided immediately teasing him further would not be wise. "Yer name, or the plank." He threatened. "Your choice."  
  
I eyed him for a long while, debating whether or not to tell him, weighing the seriousness of the threat I saw in his eyes. "Chloe." I said, jutting my chin out.  
  
"Well, Chloe, what are ye doin' on the Pearl?"  
  
I shrugged. He looked about ready to explode so I held up my hands. "I don't know, really." I assured him. "All I remember is laying down on my couch for a little nap between the French Version of your movie and the extras and when I woke up, I was here." He stared at me.  
  
"Have ye been at the ale casks?" He asked incredulously.  
  
"I don't touch the stuff, and besides, I can't. It's illegal." He raised a brow.  
  
"Since when?"  
  
"Since I'm eighteen years old, and the legal drinking age is twenty-one." I explain wondering what was going on. Did he really think I believed he was actually Captain Sparrow? There was no logical explanation for this, I told myself again, hand dropping to trace the skin where his hand had been through my tee shirt. "Now if you would be so kind as to drive me back to my home, I would greatly appreciate it." He frowned, and I sighed in exasperation. "The game is up," I told him, putting my hands on my hips. "I figured it out. So, I'm going to go." Without another word, I spun on my heel and marched out of the cabin and up the stairs.  
  
My eyes adjusted quickly to the copious amounts of moonlight and I frowned. There were absolutely no electric lights anywhere. No sound of cars, no one screaming at their husband or wife, no nothing, just the quiet lap of water on the side of the boat. I swayed a little, losing my balance. I would have tumbled into an undignified heap if Jack hadn't caught my arm. My gaze shot to his and it was ripe with fear.  
  
"W...Where am I?" I asked through trembling lips. Jack frowned at the obvious fear in my eyes and smiled reassuringly.  
  
"Tortuga, love."  
  
"Holy shit . . . I'm in a movie!" I say before falling headlong, in a faint for the second time that night. 


	4. Reality Sets in – Rather Abruptly

Chapter Three: Reality Sets in – Rather Abruptly  
  
I groaned at the sensation of a warm palm caressing my cheek. "You've really got t'stop doin' that, love." His voice murmured in my ear, and I shift a little. My eyelids fluttered and opened slowly.  
  
"Doin' what?" I asked, donning his accent in my confusion-hazed state.  
  
"Faintin' in me arms. There's bound t'be talk. Wouldn't want th' ladies to be afraid of me, savvy?" He grinned. "Well, not a lot, anyway." I rolled my eyes and righted myself, breaking his grip around my back. He eyed me for a long moment, and shook his head.  
  
"What?" I asked, scuffing my sock on the rough wood deck.  
  
"Jus' where did ye come from, lass?" He asked confusion marring his face with a scowl. I shrugged.  
  
"Does it matter?" I asked. "I'm here now." My gaze shot to his. "I seem to be with you, so, can't we just go from there?"  
  
"Go from where? The fact that I found a girl, dressed peculiarly, asleep among the anchor ropes? One I've never seen before in Tortuga, and believe me, I know just about every lass on this rock." He wiggled his brows suggestively and I glared. "You don't know 'ow ye got 'ere, an' ye talk strange, not to mention act strange, for a woman."  
  
"And just how is a woman supposed to act?" I hissed, my eyebrows drawing together to form a vertical line between them. He chuckled.  
  
"Don't get yer dander up, love. I was just mentioning that no woman I know, not even prostitutes act the way you do. It's unnerving." He sighed.  
  
My eyes stung. The one thing that had always been the nurturing part of my life was now another thing finding fault with me. Would I never find my place? Where could I go if I didn't fit in my world or his? Where else was there. "Well . . . I apologize, sincerely." I sniffled. His eyes shot to mine, the chocolate orbs dark with concern. "Now if you'll please excuse me, I'll be getting out of your hair."  
  
I made my way to the gangplank, only to stop when his hand closed around my shoulder. "What? I'm leavin' your bloody ship, I haven't stolen anything and I've answered the questions I was required to. What else do you want from me?" I struggled to control the hitching in my voice, but he heard and cursed under his breath. He breathed out a sigh before hauling me backwards and wrapping his arms around me. My head settled on his shoulder, forehead pressed to his cheek.  
  
"I'm sorry, lass." He said, stroking my back soothingly. "I didn't mean to upset you. This is all a bit . . . confusing for me to grasp, savvy?" I pulled back against his restraining arms, struggling against the warm glow settling inside my heart. The last thing I needed to do was develop feelings for this figment of my imagination.  
  
He pulled me back into the circle of his embrace easily. I struggled for a moment before I just gave up, and collapsed against his chest. I couldn't stem the tears that ran down my cheeks, my body shaking with the force of my emotion. There were no words to describe the fear that was zipping through my bloodstream at that moment. I was in the one place I thought I could be happy, and the only thing I was feeling was absolute terror.  
  
What if I couldn't get home? What if I had to stay in the movie forever? I had no family, no friends, no allies in this unknown world. Despite my prowess with movie quoting and production notes, I knew next to nothing about the era. I knew pirates were bloodthirsty, vicious, opportunistic men who would gut you as soon as look at you. Women were oppressed, not only in society but also through fashion. The thought of wearing a corset was the most frightening in the world. I didn't want to be here.  
  
"'ush, love." I crumpled to the deck, and he followed, arms wrapped securely around me. I burrowed against his warmth, the tears continuing to course down my cheeks. "It can't be that bad, Chloe." He whispered, running a hand through my dark hair, which was falling out of the twisty I had put it in that morning – or when I was still in my world. I had no idea how much time passed between the two worlds, what would Einstein have to say about parallel universes in his theory of relativity? I shook my head, wondering what kind of idiot thought about Einstein when they were being hugged by a sexy pirate captain while inside their favorite movie.  
  
"It is that bad." I insisted my voice thick and rough with tears. "I don't know where I am, how I got here, where my family is. Oh God, I want to see my mother." I wrapped my arms around his chest and sobbed brokenly. "I hate that worthless woman more than anyone can hate anything, but I would give my right arm to see her again." He stroked my back, and I felt a stir of pity for him. Here was this girl crying all over his chest, and he had no idea what was going on. My opinion of his character grew when he sighed and rocked with me.  
  
"You're in Tortuga, lass. I told you that." He whispered into my hair. "An' as to those other things, I'll help ye as much as I'm able, aye?" I pull back and look into his face.  
  
"Where's the profit in it for you?" I ask brokenly, swiping a hand under my nose. "Pirates never do anything out of the goodness of their hearts."  
  
"True enough." He said, chucking my chin lightly. "Which is why, while we do these things for ye, you're goin' t' 'ave t'work fer me."  
  
"Work for you?" I repeated dumbly. "How?"  
  
"As a sailor, galley-boy - er - girl, any small task me or me crew can think up." He sighed. "I know that probably doesn't suit ye, but it's me only offer. Do we 'ave an accord?"  
  
"Agreed." I shook his hand quickly and we scooted away from each other. I drew my legs up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. "I feel so alone." I whispered, watching the moonlight play on the water of the harbor.  
  
"But you aren't alone, lass." He murmured, running a hand through my hair again. "I'm 'ere with ye, for as long as ye need me. All you 'ave t'do is call, an' I'll be there, savvy?" He hauled himself up before offering me his hand. I took it and followed him below deck, hand resting lightly on the fabric covering his back as I struggled to navigate the unpredictable bob and sway of the boat under my feet. He looked over his shoulder at me.  
  
"First time on a boat, love?" He asked motioning for me to precede him into his cabin. The candles had died down, but the room was still lit enough for us to see each other.  
  
"Yeah." I nodded and sat down slowly on the bed. I noticed the only sleeping apparatus in the room was what I was sitting on. What were we going to do about that? I wondered. Hesitantly I broached the subject with Jack. "If you want me to sleep on the floor, I can, after all, I did drop in rather unexpectedly." I tried a grin, and even though it felt lopsided, I kept it there until he answered with a twitch of his own.  
  
"Don't be silly lass. It gets cold on the water, savvy." He sat down beside me. "I'd welcome th' extra warmth." I blanched, but was grateful for the loss of light, and Jack didn't notice. He laid back and rolled onto his side; I turned onto my side, back to Jack and buried my head on my arm. A few seconds later I felt the bed shift and Jack wrapped an arm around my waist, surrounding me with warmth. I fell asleep to the comforting sound of his breath in my ear. 


	5. Member of the Crew

Chapter Four – Member of the Crew  
  
I opened my eyes slowly. The room was still dark, and I was still tired, and had no clue what had awakened me. Then the noise came. It sounded a lot like rocks being tossed about by a garbage disposal. I blinked. Was Charlie using the garbage disposal? No, wait, that wasn't mechanical sounding. It was about that time; I noticed the weight pressing down on my middle. I groaned and turned, trying to dislodge it, only to come face to face with Jack. I barely held in my screech, and eyed him curiously, a hand clapped over my mouth. So, that was were the God-awful noise was coming from. I smiled, and added this interesting fact to my mental file on Captain Jack Sparrow. Along with, 'he loves rum' and 'he's been to Singapore', I now added, 'snores like a freight-train'.  
  
He mumbled under his breath and tightened his grip on my waist, pulling the fabric of the hoodie tighter, and dragging me a bit closer to him in the process. My morals were screaming at me to stop it there, and not do anything else, but, if you all think less of me, after you realize I didn't keep those morals . . . screw you! Have you been in bed with Captain Jack Sparrow? Indeed, I'm betting the answer would be an unequivocal 'No!', so shut the hell up and let me tell my story, savvy? Walk the plank ye will!  
  
So, I was at a moment of indecision. There he was, my idol, the hot man who I had admired through glass and pixels, was laying beside me in the flesh. What else could I do? I bit my lip in nervous anticipation before lifting my arm and bringing it under his, to wrap around his waist. I waited a few seconds, and since he was still sleeping peacefully, I scooted closer, careful not to shake the bed. I stared in awe at his lips, which had since lapsed into silence, and were curled in a grin. Obviously he was having a very good dream. At this moment, I figured I was too. Why waste such a good one on indecision? I leaned in and just as my lips were about to brush his, Anamaria burst through the door.  
  
"JACK!"  
  
I slid away, eyes wide with fright. Jack stirred. "Leave me be, Anamaria, or ye'll walk the plank." He grumbled wrapping an arm around me and hauling me back against him. The female pirate eyed me with distaste, and distrust before marching up to where Jack lay.  
  
"CAPTAIN SPARROW!" She shouted into his ear. "If you don't get up at this very moment, I swear we will steal this ship, dump you and this . . . off in the middle of the ocean." My eyes widened. That wench did not just call me a 'this', did she? I replayed the words in my mind and my eyes narrowed. She most certainly had. With a growl I sprang up.  
  
"Leave him be." I stated in as regal a tone as I could muster, acutely aware that my hair was flying every which way, my drawstring pajama bottoms were all twisted and my cheek was red from resting it on my hand. I didn't much care. I had gotten very little sleep, and I would not tolerate some woman who played at being a man to call me a 'this'. She glared at me and I just glared back.  
  
"I don't take orders from harlots." My face darkened with rage and I raised a fist. Jack had leapt up in the meantime and caught my hand before the balled fist could smash into Anamaria's face.  
  
"I'm up, Anamaria. What is it?" I tore my hand from his grasp and continued to glare at the woman. I hadn't liked her when she slapped Jack in the movie, and now, having met her, I must say she is the most disagreeable person on the planet. Bloody pirate wench. I cursed her in my mind, not really paying attention to the conversation until Jack spoke my name. My head popped up.  
  
"Aye?" They both turned to look at her and I blushed. "What?" I asked, trying to cover my anger. Jack shrugged.  
  
"She's t'be stayin' with us for a while."  
  
"Wonderful." Anamaria grumbled. I stuck my tongue at her, pulling it back in when Jack shot me a look.  
  
"And you'll be teachin' 'er how to be a part of the crew, savvy?" Both of our eyes widened.  
  
"WHAT?" We screeched together.  
  
"There's no way that I'll teach that whore..." Anamaria protested.  
  
"I refuse to learn anything from the likes of her!" I retorted. Jack threw up his hands and us women lapsed into silence.  
  
"I'm captain of this 'ere boat . . . ship, and what I say goes." He whirled on me. "You need to learn how t'be a sailor, aye? And Anamaria can teach ye. I won't 'ave anyone dissenting in me ranks, so ye'd better learn to like her." I started to say something but my mouth snapped shut at the warning lift of his brow. Apparently Jack would brook no arguments on this point. Anamaria snickered. Jack whirled back to her and pointing a finger at her. "An' as fer you, lass, teach 'er right. If ye don't or I have to re- teach her, you will be swimmin' with the fishies, aye?" Anamaria nodded, glaring at me. I stared back blandly. It looked like Caesar had spoken.  
  
"Hail, Caesar." I muttered. Jack looked at me quizzically.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing." I replied, following Anamaria out on deck.  
  
"Chloe!" I turned back to Jack and shaded my eyes. "Welcome aboard the Black Pearl, love!"  
  
"Welcome aboard the Black Pearl my big, round FAT ass!" I hissed grumpily, scrubbing a rag over a gargantuan stain on a table. Anamaria had gleefully informed me that my first duty would be to clean the crew's eating area. What she hadn't told me, and I hadn't discovered until I'd stood on the threshold, mop in hand, was that the place should have been labeled a Level 4 Biohazard. I blew a tendril of hair out of my face and continued scrubbing with renewed vigor. The last thing I wanted was for Anamaria to have a reason to yell at me. That woman's voice annoyed me enough in speaking tones, then there was no telling what would happen to my sanity if she yelled at me too. After a long while, I stared into the mucky water and sighed.  
  
How did they expect me to clean anything with dirty water such as this? With a grimace I dipped the mop back into the water and began on the floors. Disgusting. Not only was it hot, stuffy and smelly below decks, I was finding things that should be burned rather than thrown away. I found a piece of bread that was so molded...it was like a piece of charcoal sick with green chicken pox. I shuddered before tossing it onto a piece of sail that Jack had given me for stuff that couldn't be mopped up. My hair was falling out of its restraint again, and I was up to my elbows in filthiness.  
  
"Fabulous." I grumbled scrubbing at a spot that looked suspiciously like dried blood. I shook off the worry and began whistling to myself, hoping that it would make the task go by quicker. No such luck, however, since as soon as I finished the galley, Anamaria in all her smug, annoying superiority told me to – no, ordered me to – go below and clean the crew's cabins. I stared at her as if she'd grown a second head.  
  
"Are you bonkers, lady?" I demanded my filthy hands planted on the sides of my equally filthy hips. She just stared at me, and I stared back. If she thought a little glare would frighten me to go below decks and clean up after the smelly pirates that were the crew of the Pearl, she had another thing coming to her.  
  
"You want me to go and get Captain Sparrow?' She asked curiously, the threat clear in her eyes. My own temper flared.  
  
"Go right ahead." I growled. She frowned at me before turning on her heel and marching up the stairs. I grabbed the mop and bucket before storming after her. The sea air cooled my hot cheeks, making the loose tendrils of hair whip around my face. I walked to the edge of the deck and dumped the bucket over the side. With a groan I brought a hand to my back and stretched, unnerved by the noisy crack that ensued on the movement.  
  
"Takin' a break, love?" I whirled at the sound of Jack's voice.  
  
"Uh . . .yeah." I whispered conscious of the smears of mud and filth on both my cheeks and the sad state of my attire. I had shed my hoodie before cleaning, so I was standing in nothing but a plain white tee-shirt that said 'Captain Jack can swash me buckle anytime' and a pair of the rattiest pirate pants Jack had dug out of his pile of old clothes. Jack eyed the shirt with amusement before frowning at me.  
  
"Anamaria tells me ye're bein' insubordinate."  
  
"Am not!" I declared hotly. "She's being bitchy and a complete pain in the ass." I insisted. "She wants me to clean the cabins. THE CABINS! There is no way I'm entering the sleeping places of disreputable pirates. Lord knows what I would find in there." He quirked a brow.  
  
"She wanted ye to clean the entire crew's cabins?" He asked incredulously.  
  
"Mm hmm!" He shook his head.  
  
"That's somethin' I'll have t'speak with her about that." He nodded. "I wouldn't mind if ye cleaned mine . . ." He shot me a hopeful look and I just stared back, arms crossed over my chest, mop handle resting in the crook of my left shoulder. His shoulders slumped. "All right then, would ye like t'learm how to work th' masts?" He smiled at my eager face.  
  
"Yes, that would be so cool!"  
  
"Cool?" He frowned at me. "Why would fixing the sails be cold?"  
  
"No." I chuckled. "Cool, means the same thing as good, or fabulous." He frowned.  
  
"Ye're a strange one." He smiled and I frowned in mock anger.  
  
"Don't blame me, it's my generation that thought it up!" I declared, and we both laughed as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and leading me to the mast.  
  
Three minutes later I was cursing his name, arms and legs wrapped around the arm of one of the sails, staring down at the deck in fright. How had he talked me into climbing up a good hundred feet to mess around on a dowel that didn't seem wide enough to hold my weight, secured by a very iffy-looking rope, I had no idea. I reached for the rope and undid some knots that showed up in the constant folding, and unfolding of the sails. I could hear the crew below, laughing at my misfortune. At any other time, I would have found my position damn hilarious. I was sprawled on my belly, legs and arms wrapped around it, face pressed into the wood, screaming obscenities down to the captain who was currently laughing it up with his bloody crew. "Bloody pirates!" I shouted angrily. This yell caused an uproar among the pirates below me, and I cursed more; they would obviously just laugh at me, and leave me to my own devices. I had just begun to think of a way to get myself down when I felt a hand wrap around my ankle. My head turned and I gazed over my shoulder at the dark eyes of Captain Jack Sparrow. He tugged on my leg a little and I tensed.  
  
"C'mon Chloe, let's get you down." He said, I nodded and followed him towards the mast and lowered myself to the deck. I resisted the urge to kiss the wood, and turned my red face away from the grinning faces of the crew. Jack approached me, but when he laid a hand on my arm, I turned and slapped him, hard. And not just on the face either. He moved his hands, trying to intercept the blows. They weren't hard, just open palmed smacks that did nothing more than bounce off the leather of his long coat, but it was the principle of the thing. I whirled on my heel and marched off.  
  
Anamaria grabbed my arm and opened her mouth to lecture. I glared at her and punched her full on in the mouth. She stumbled backwards and stared at me, wiping the back of her hand over her bottom lip and staring at the smear of blood in horrified indignation. Her brown eyes shot back to me and she leapt at me. Unprepared for the body weight that connected with my chest, she managed to get me down to the deck and started punching me. I bucked, unseating her from her position over me, and rolled, pinning her to the deck. I was only vaguely aware of the crew's shouts, so intent was I on plowing my balled fist into her smug face.  
  
Not so smug now, are you? I thought just before two hands wrapped around my shoulder and hauled me off of her. I struggled against Gibbs hold, screaming obscenities at her. "That's what you get! Oh, what now? What some more? Bring it, bring it bitch, I'll just wipe the floor with you again!" I screamed as Gibbs was forced to haul me over his shoulder.  
  
"Take 'er to the brig!" I heard Jack shout before we went below decks.  
  
Gibbs was carrying me in silence and I was equally silent, although I wanted to tell him that his shoulder was digging into my liver. I caught the glint of anger in his eye and kept my mouth shut. I heard the squeak of a rusty door, and he dropped me in an undignified heap into a puddle of water. "Are ye daft girl?" Gibbs asked with a glare. I jutted out my chin and refused to respond. "Actin' like that's bound t'get ye booted off o' th' Pearl. Jack's not the kind o' man t' suffer fights between crewmembers." He shut and locked the door. "Think about that lass."  
  
He walked away and I got up, pressing my face between two bars and shouting after him "Apparently there's a leak!" Chuckling at my own cleverness I settled back to wait.  
  
I waited less than five minutes. The door burst open and Jack stormed through, eyes snapping in his fury. "Chloe, what the hell was that?" He demanded coming to stand beside the door. "What did Anamaria do to you?"  
  
"She was born, that's what!" I shouted. He breathed out a frustrated puff of air and grimaced.  
  
"Lower your voice." He said shakily, rubbing his forehead with the tips of his fingers. Hungover, I determined, watching his eyes flutter closed and he leaned back against the wall. "I'm beginnin' t'see Gibbs' point." He muttered.  
  
"What? That women are bad luck?" I asked. A single dark chocolate eye opened and stared at me.  
  
"How did ye . . ." He trailed off, remembering our strange circumstances. "Never mind." He pushed off of the wall and came to the door, unlocking it. "Come with me." He grabbed my arm and dragged me out, pulling me up the stairs and into his cabin.  
  
"What are you doing?" I demanded, wrenching my arm from his grasp. He grabbed me again and pulled me deeper into his room. I struggled. "If you think you can just toss me about and use me as you see fit, you've got another thing coming, Sparrow!" I declared. "I'm not like other, weaker females. Savvy?" I asked acidly, glaring at his face. He laughed.  
  
"I have no intention of ravishin' ye, love." He grinned. "Unless ye aren't adverse to the idea?" I gave him such a lethal look, that had him nodding. "That would be a 'no' then?"  
  
"Yes! That would most definitely be a 'no'!" I cursed, plopping down on the end of the bed. "Why am I here?" I asked after a moment to collect my temper. He sighed.  
  
"Anamaria is, at this very moment, looking for her pistol to shoot ye between the eyes. No wench has bested her in front of the entire crew before." He shook his head. "An' believe me, she's battled a few vicious women in her day." He shook his head. "Ana – she's got a vicious temper, and a very large streak of pride. You just happened to aggravate both, I'm afraid." He sighed before shooting me a goofy grin. "So, it looks like I'll be getting that clean cabin after all."  
  
"And what makes you think that?" I demanded, trying not to be amused in spite of his antics.  
  
"You'll have t'stay in here for at least a day or two. 'Till she calms down at least." He shrugged at my disgruntled look. "Ye were the one who punched her in the jaw, savvy? You should have been prepared for the consequences." I rolled my eyes.  
  
"Where have I heard that before?" I whispered. He skewered me with a look.  
  
"From now on, Chloe, you're to behave like a pirate. No fighting with the crew, for any reason." I opened my mouth. "For ANY reason, savvy?" I glared. "Chloe, fights can break up the unity on a ship, an' I can't have that. If ye get into another fight, I'll make ye walk the plank, and leave ye t'drown. Are we understandin' one 'nother?" He asked. I nodded. He smiled a little before turning and leaving the room, shutting the door behind him. At that moment I felt like anything but a member of the crew. 


	6. Me First Taste O' Plunder

Chapter Five – Me First Taste o' Plunder  
  
Dinner was a noisy affair. Except for Anamaria, who sat glaring at me in stony silence. Jack, seated beside her noticed our warring eyes and frowned; moments later she'd jumped as though prodded by a sharp stick. Her eyes shot hotly to Jack and I could only deduce he'd stepped on her foot. There was only one thing that could cause that raw agony in a woman's eyes. Extreme foot pain. I know that I got this look in my eyes whenever I had to don high heels for fancy get ups like my cousin Mildred's wedding three summers ago. I tell you, if someone had offered to shoot me then, I would have gladly accepted.  
  
Wisely I stifled a chuckle and turned to the pirate beside me. It was Zhao, the miniature pirate. He may have been small in one respect, but his voice certainly wasn't. He laughed rakishly, leaning over and effectively pouring rum down the front o my shirt. I stumbled backwards out of my chair surprise and rum on my face  
  
"Well, hell." I muttered, pulling the soaked fabric away from my chest with a disgusting sucking noise. I wrinkled my nose at the warm pungent scent of rum. "Wonderful." I grumbled before shooting Jac a questioning glance. His eyes were locked on my chest area which, now, being wet, was visible for the entire crew to see. I had the grace to blush, before casually wrapping my arms across the front of my chest, casually covering myself. "Captain Jack?" I asked sweetly, aware of the growing smiles around the table.  
  
"Aye lass?"  
  
"Could I impose on you for a shirt seeing as this one is a bit . . ." I looked down at the golden shirt, that had once been a pristine white. The words were smeared, and I cursed. I worked bloody hard on making the calligraphy on this thing perfect! "Ruined?" I finished weakly. He nodded, covering his mouth with his hand, presumably hiding a smile. It didn't do much good, because I saw his eyes glowing with mirth, and laughing into mine. I nodded and made a move to excuse myself. I have to admit I was really surprised that each and every pirate in the room at the time kept their laughter bottled up until I was out of the room. I nearly chuckled myself at the sound of unrestrained male laughter that reached my ears as I climbed the stairs towards Jack's cabin. After rumaging through the pile of clothes, I donned one of the cleanest, least foul-smelling one I could find. I pulled the collar over my nose and breathed in deeply. It smelled of the sea, rum; muted of course, and the individual scent that was the captain.  
  
Some time later, I was sitting by the bow, thinking about how my life had changed up to this point. I had never slept well as a child, and since coming aboard the Pearl, I had eaten, slept and done more than I had in a year, it seemed like. I was at peace here. I didn't quite know my place, but I felt I could scratch one out among the pirate crew. I could honestly say, that if a pirate's life consisted of eating, drinking and getting a tan, as well as a lucrative payday, I would sign up in a heartbeat. It sure won out over a year in the same, small claustrophobic building with mean- spirited kids and teachers with goofy views on the world, and what made someone a success.  
  
I leaned my head back against the railing and breathed out a sigh. My thoughts drifted to my mother and Charlie. I wondered if the missed me, or even if they knew I was gone. It didn't matter that much though, they were there and I was here and we had better make the best of our given situation, even though I wasn't sure just what my situation was. Anamaria hated me, the crew didn't trust me as far as they could throw me and Jack . . . Jack was an enigma. I'd caught him looking at me repeatedly over the week I'd been sailing with them. In his eyes was confusion, frustration, and curiously, hunger. Hunger for what I wasn't sure. That was a puzzle for another day. My eyes drifted closed as the rocking of the ship and the light spray of the warm seawater on my face lulled me to sleep.  
  
"Lass?" A hand shook my shoulder. "Chloe wake up, love." I groaned and attempted to swat his hand away. I dimly thought I heard his chuckle and some low spoken words. Apparently to another person because said person laughed loudly.  
  
"Go 'way!" I grumbled when his hand shook my shoulder again, rougher this time.  
  
A pair of wiry arms slid under my shoulders and my knees and I moaned turning my face into the warmth of someone's throat. His smell enveloped me and I grinned. "Mmm." I whispered, curving into his arms so that I was pressed more securely against the warmth of his chest. I felt his chuckle as his scent tugged me back into the world of dreams.  
  
My eyes popped open as the Pearl rocked violently. So violently in fact, I was nearly tossed out of bed. "What the hell?" I muttered putting a hand to my head. I heard people shouting, and grimaced as their noise made my head throb. I concluded that I must have bonked it some time in the jerky motions of the ship.  
  
"Prepare to board!" I heard Jack yell, followed by the unintelligible shouts from his crew.  
  
"Board?" I whispered, confused. My eyes widened Board! Holy God, they were in the middle of plundering a ship! And I was bloody missing it! I tossed my feet over the side of the bed, teetering with the rocking of the ship toward the desk, where I'd put the dagger I'd found in the midst of cleaning the captain's cabin.  
  
After tucking the blade in the small of my back, I raced to the door, flinging it wide in my haste to have it open. I raced up the stairs, smacking into the walls on either side as the Pearl's cannons fired again, sending the boat back and forth.  
  
The deck was utter chaos. Pirates running here and there, and n the midst of this, Captain Jack Sparrow stood, sword in hand looking like a tranquil sea. I ducked behind some wooden debris on deck when his eyes slid my way. I didn't want him to see me, because, knowing the white-knight syndrome all men suffer from, he would have probably sent me below decks and stay there. Since this was the first, and probably the last time I would ever see how a real pirate ship did its thing, there was no way in hell I was missing it.  
  
The ship the Pearl was currently attacking looked horrible. The gorgeous golden wood of the hull was filled with holes, making it look like Swiss cheese, or moth eaten, I couldn't decide which, The creamy white sails hung in tatters, stained with gunpowder and filth, the air heavy with smoke and the coppery scent of blood and death. I covered my mouth, all romantic thoughts of plundering a ship flew out of my head, and I prayed to any god that might have been listening that I wouldn't faint right there on the deck. I peered over the side and stared at the deck of the opposing ship was just as chaotic. Men brandishing cutlasses and pistols, one in particular caught my eye. Instead of aiming at the pirates swarming his deck, he was aiming his pistol at the Pearl. I followed his line of sight and paled. He was aiming for Jack!  
  
Without thought to my own safety, I raced across the deck, the rapport of a pistol ringing in my head as I tackled him to the boards. He looked at me strangely, eyes blinking, and wide. He opened his mouth to say something but I noticed his expression as he looked down at his chest. The red smear of blood had me sliding off of him. Had I been too late? "Jack!" I ran my hands over his chest, trying desperately to find the wound. Pressure, got to have pressure elevate the area, stop the bleeding, stop the bleeding. My lifeguarding teacher's voice rang in my head as I pressed my fists to the spot where the blood had appeared. He stared at me strangely.  
  
"What are you doin' lass?"  
  
"You're hurt!" I exclaimed.  
  
"That's funny." He mused, as I began to search everywhere for a bandage. "I don' feel hurt."  
  
"That's blood." I stated, pointing to the stain on his shirt. He rubbed a finger over it and smiled.  
  
"Yes, it is but it's not mine." I frowned before helping him to his feet, putting my arm around his waist just to be safe.  
  
"I don't like this." I muttered. "I want to have a better look at you." He grinned.  
  
"I'd be more than happy to oblige ye love, but perhaps some other time. I'm kind of in the middle of something now." I rolled my eyes.  
  
"You know what I meant, Sparrow."  
  
"Aye, but it would be a waste of time. I'm fine." He disentangled himself and stepped away. "You should go back in the cabin, it's not safe here just yet." He smirked at me before dashing off to board the other ship.  
  
I stood like a deaf-mute watching his body swing from deck to deck with ease. Suddenly I felt incredibly light headed. With a curious frown I rubbed my fingers agains a small tear in the shirt I was wearing, grimacing when they came away stained in blood. Jack hadn't been shot, but apparently I had. And as I sank to the deck, shaking my head, I figured I didn't like the sensation one bit.  
  
The ship didn't last long against the flood of pirates boarding her. It was over in a matter of minutes. By the time the pirates were coming back on board hauling plunder onto the deck of the Pearl, I had tidied a majority of the mess left behind by the battle.  
  
Jack eyed the deck of the Pearl in appreciation. Not only was it glittering with silver and gold but also with cleanliness. His eyes slid to mine and he winked. I blushed and turned to address Gibbs, exposing the bloodied tear in my shirt to his eyes.  
  
"Chloe!" Jack exclaimed. I whirled back around.  
  
"What?" I demanded, startled by the look on his face.  
  
"You're bleeding!" He strode over and gripped my arm, tearing the hole, so that the muscles of my upper arm and shoulder were bared. His warm fingers palpated the wound gently. I sucked in my breaht and pushed at his chest.  
  
"Don't do that!" I exclaimed, alarmed at the smear of blood on my skin. "It's just a scratch." I muttered, hugging my arm to my chest. He stared at the torn sleeve, the blood glittering red and wet on my tanned shoulder. He frowned. And seemed to struggle with my order. After a while, his dark eyes drifted to mine, and the punch in them nearly knocked me over. He gave a curt nod before marching stiffly up to the helm. The crew all glared at me, and I lowered my head. I hadn't meant anything by that, I just had never liked anyone messing around with my wounds.  
  
Just ask Mildred Denny, the nurse at my elementary school. I had fallen down and scraped my knee. She'd put all sorts of stinging creams and sprays on it, until I thought I would die. She ended up leaving work that day with two arches of four red welts, where my baby incisors had dug in. I still hold, to this day, that woman got what she deserved, being ninety or not. I blew out a breath and slumped my shoulders before climbing up the steps to the helm.  
  
I knew Jack was miffed at me when he didn't turn, look or even acknowledge I was on the same planet much less than on the same boat – pardon me, ship – and standing right in front of him. "I'm sorry." I stated without preamble. His only reaction was to quirk a brow and adjust the wheel. I groaned. So, he was one of those who dragged apologies out for hours upon hours. I frowned and crossed my arms across my chest, ignoring the stinging pain in the wound, protesting to the movement. "I just don't like people touching my wounds." I offered the explanation calmly, with an appeasing smile on my face. He nodded, not saying a word. "I didn't mean to snap at you." I muttered, looking at the scuffed boots I'd borrowed from Zhao, whose feet were just my size. My nickname with the crew was now Tiny Feet.  
  
"I know, lass." My head popped up and he smiled. I nodded and turned to go. "Chloe?"  
  
"Yes?" I turned back just in time to see a flash of gold flying through the air, and I caught it only on instinct. The sharp edges stung my palm and I turned the item over in my palm. It looked suspiciously like a piece of eight. My eyes lifted to his and he winked.  
  
"Your first taste o' plunder, lass." I grinned and tucked the coin into my pants pocket, turning to go again. "Chloe!" I whirled back around. "Get that wound seen to." I nodded.  
  
"Aye Captain." 


	7. Renfield Really IS an Asshole

Chapter Six – Renfield Really is an Asshole  
  
The sun was setting on my ninth day in Pirates of the Caribbean. The water was smooth, the sun was beautiful and a slight wind ruffled my hair around my head. I fingered the gold coin gently, eyes trained on the horizon. I had never felt this tranquil, or at peace. It was like someone had drained all the worries and problems out of me and I could just be. There were no honking cars, bad drivers, rap music with too much bass, and all manner of other noise pollution. It was absolutely devoid of noise, save for the occasional shout or the constant lapping of water against the hull.  
  
The silence was kind of unnerving for someone used to never-ending noise and disturbances. There were benefits however. My head swiveled around and my gaze pinned Anamaria to the place she was standing. The quietness of the environment made it easier to know when people were sneaking up behind me. She glared. "Captain wants to see you."  
  
I nodded briefly before shoving myself to my feet, cursing as the movement put pressure on the wound on my shoulder. I wondered why it still hurt so much. After all, it was only a scratch where the ball had grazed the muscle on my upper arm, near my shoulder blade. I hissed and clapped a hand to it, sticking my tongue out at Anamaria when she rolled her eyes and snorted. I could care less if the bitch thought I was being a drama queen. I would have paid money to see how SHE reacted to her first bullet wound. I'd bet my bottom dollar that she hadn't been as stoic about it as I had been. I walked towards the stairs. Stepping up them slowly, my hand rubbing the bandage absently.  
  
Jack was again at the helm, gripping the steering wheel casually, while squinting, as he stared off into the sunset. "You wanted to see me?" I asked quietly, coming to stand beside him. He didn't acknowledge my presence, just adjusted the wheel and sighed. "Captain?"  
  
He turned his head a little and jumped. We were only a few inches apart, and apparently he'd been incredibly distracted as to not notice my approach. "Bloody 'ell, Chloe!" He pressed a hand to his chest. "Don' do that!"  
  
I grinned a little. "Sorry." Though, by my tone, he could tell that I really wasn't. He huffed. "You wanted to see me?" I asked again.  
  
"Aye." He nodded. "I was just going to ask you, how your wound was."  
  
I smiled and glanced down at the dirty rag passing for a bandage. I hadn't been too happy about the lack of hygiene when it came to my wound, but with my constant washing the wound was not getting infected. "It's fine." I stated, looking up and into his eyes. He took a step closer and our bodies brushed.  
  
"I'm glad." He whispered, eyes dropping to stare at my lips. My own were watching him curiously. Just what was going through that pirate head of his? He grinned slightly and I took a small step in retreat.  
  
"Jack . . ." I had the distinct impression he was about to kiss me. My suspicions were confirmed when he grabbed my arm, stopping my backward motion. He tugged me a little closer and our chests bumped. I exhaled nervously. "Captain . . ." My eyes stared into his and I remembered thinking that I could drown in those eyes. His eyebrow quirked and just as his mouth descended to mine, a voice pulled us out of our little universe.  
  
"Cap'n!" Anamaria shouted from the crow's nest. I glared at her. Perfect timing. I thought bitterly, mentally shaking a fist at her. I imagined that I could see her smug smile from where I stood.  
  
"What is it Ana?" He called back.  
  
"Sails, sir!" My eyes widened. Sails? What sails? I shaded my eyes and frowned. I couldn't see a thing.  
  
"Can ye see the colors they be flyin'?" Captain Jack stepped away from me and diverted all his attention to the current problem. I crossed my arms and huffed. What were they talking about? I didn't see a single thing but the never-ending blue that was the Caribbean Sea.  
  
"Pirate colors, they be flyin' the Jolly Roger!" She shouted. His face screwed up into a scowl and he whirled on me. I stepped back at the look in his eyes.  
  
"Go bind yer hair." He grunted.  
  
"What?"  
  
He shoved me and I stumbled. "Go, don't question. Just do it, savvy?" I frowned.  
  
"All right." I went reluctantly down and found a piece of leather, tying my long, dark brown hair into a flat plait. I then began my search for a bandanna. Jack had an extra, blue one, in his desk if I remembered right. I pulled the drawer open and sifted through all the rest of the things, wondering how the room could have gotten in such a state when I'd cleaned it thoroughly not three days ago. I started towards the door, frowning when I heard the sound of boots and shouts above deck. I raced up the stairs, wondering just what was going on.  
  
". . . good to see ye again, Jack." A man chuckled. I frowned who was this whacko? I peered around the corner and stared in fascination. Another ship had pulled up beside the Pearl and apparently the two captains were engaging in a parley. I gripped the dagger I'd kept in my boot since the first plundering incident, tightly in my fist. The last thing I wanted to do was ram the blade into another human being, but judging from the malice coming off of both captains in veritable waves, I knew I might have to.  
  
"Wish I could say the same." Jack replied nonchalantly, though it was obvious how angry he was at the arrogance of the other captatin. "I thought I told ye these were the Pearl's waters?" He hissed, hand reaching for the pistol at his belt. I sucked in my breath. Oh God, Jack, don't do anything bloody stupid! I thought, hand tightening reflexively on the hilt of my dagger. The rest of the crew had similar reactions, as did the opposing captain's. The man took his hat off and stared at it, the green bandanna below it darkened with sweat. I shivered. Yuck. At least Jack never looked sweaty. He was definitely the better looking of the two pirates, and I grinned at the line of my thoughts. We were in the middle of a parley and I was thinking about how good Jack looked when he was slick with the sweat a day's labor could put on his golden brown skin. I covered my mouth with my hand, but a snort slipped out. Both crews and captains heads swung my way and I grinned sheepishly. Jack's eyes widened, and he tried to tell me telepathically to get back below deck. I shrugged and stayed where I was.  
  
"Who're you?" The other captain demanded, striding over and grabbing my arm. I glared at him as he dragged me onto the deck, before tearing my arm from his grasp.  
  
"He's nobody!" Jack muttered hurriedly, eyes on my, silently telling me how much trouble I would be in once this whole incident passed. "Jus' a galley boy I picked up in Tortuga. Been to Tortuga lately, eh?" The other captain rolled his eyes, and glared at me.  
  
"Yer name?"  
  
"I could ask you the same question." I replied haughtily. Jack clapped a hand over his eyes and shook his head. I shrugged. "It's a legitimate question. I don't enjoy being hauled about by strangers." The other pirate eyed me before barking out a laugh.  
  
"Ye sure employ some cheeky crewmen, Sparrow." He chuckled maliciously before grabbing my arm again, pushing his face close to mine. "I don' like that." I grimaced at the stench on his breath. Anything but a good smell, in fact I had to swallow hard to keep from throwing up in his face.  
  
"I don't like arrogant pirate captains grabbing at my person." I retorted heatedly, our eyes warring, oblivious to anything else. Again I wrenched my arm from his iron grip and he growled. He raised his hand and slapped me. I clasped my cheek, eyes flashing with anger. "Oh, you want to play, bastard?" I growled, balling my fist and punching him in the jaw. He staggered and his crew leapt forward, stopping when he raised a hand. His dark blue eyes bored into mine.  
  
"Ye'll pay fer that lad." He growled. Jack grimaced and hurried forward.  
  
"Renfield." He smiled charmingly, waving his arms about. "Don' mind 'im. 'e's jus' still a little drunk is all." He leaned a bit closer whispering in the captain's ear. I thought I caught the word eunuch and I flushed. Did the man never come up with new lines? Renfield eyed me, considering, and I opened my mouth to retort when Jack skewered me with a look. I closed my mouth. He? What the hell was he talking about? I was damn well not a HE!  
  
It was after this angry thought skipped through my brain that I recognized the name of the other pirate, Renfield. Renfield you asshole! I smiled inward as the other captain's name. I was immediately reminded of the late night movie marathons I had with my pals Gina and Hal, both die-hard pirate lovers. In one of these marathons, we watched "Dracula Dead and Loving It", absolutely the funniest movie ever. Renfield happened to be a character. A stupid, bug-eating character, to boot. I cocked my head and studied the other captain. There really were a lot of similarities between them. I wondered idly if he ate bugs.  
  
"Now, Sparrow," He growled. "What were we discussing?" He glared at me one last time. I just raised my brow and crossed my arms sassily. He grunted and went back to his discussion. "Ah, yes. Your bloody Pearl."  
  
Jack growled low in his throat. "Watch what you say, Renfield. You are on my 'bloody' boat." They glared at one another before Renfield continued on as if nothing had happened.  
  
"Now, Jack, I don' want to be rude, but this ship is rather out-dated." I huffed out an insulted breath. How dare he insult this ship? I peered at his ship in disdain. It was obvious the ship was newer, but that's where the similarities ended. Renfield's crew didn't take care of it the way Jack's took care of the Pearl.  
  
"Aye, that may be, but we're still here." Jack retorted, his own anger flashing in his eyes. I grinned. Good, now our captain would whip out his pistol and shoot the bloody bastard in the head. I chuckled at the mental image and again all eyes swung to me.  
  
"Oh bloody hell!" I shouted. "Can't I laugh when something strikes me as funny! Jezebel! Just get this parley over with." I uncrossed my arms and walked over to Jack. "What are you waiting for?" I whispered. He glared at me.  
  
"I'll take yer advice when I ask for it, Chl . . . lad." He growled, eyes wide, trying to tell me to leave it alone. I was too angry to realize this was not the time to be insulting anyone. This bastard slapped me! There was no way I would let him get off "I'm neither askin' for it nor needin' it. Now, please go below decks and finish with your cleaning." I glared at him and he hissed menacingly. "Go."  
  
"No." I replied. "I'm a member of this crew, an' I deserve to be up here just as much as anyone else." Anamaria growled low in her throat. "Oh what now, bitchy bitch?" I asked. "Just shut up or I'm going to kick your ass again. Get me?" Jack looked pseudo-apologetically at Renfield who was looking incredibly bored.  
  
"Go." He growled, getting in my face. I jutted out my chin.  
  
"Jack Sparrow, I'm not leaving so stop asking."  
  
"CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow! Everyone bloody forgets the CAPTAIN!" He growled, grabbing my arm. We stared at one another, and this time, it had nothing to do with romance, and everything to do with hoping the other person would drop dead. "And I'm not asking. I'm orderin' ye, below decks, now!"  
  
"If you like the below decks so much, why don't YOU go down there?"  
  
"Pardon us for a moment, chum." He murmured, grabbing my arm and dragging me away.  
  
"Jack, what are you doing?" I demanded as he hauled me below decks.  
  
"Are you daft, Chloe? Do ye know what Renfield would do to ye if he knew you were a girl?" He shook me. "Not to mention the Pearl, he'd sink this boat without a second thought." His dark eyes bored into mine. "And I will not allow that to happen, do I make myself clear?"  
  
"Crystal." I muttered.  
  
He glanced up the stairs and cursed. Renfield was eyeing us both with confusion. The confusion soon gave way to grim satisfaction and anger. I think he was remembering the punch I'd laid on him. It was extremely embarrassing to get flattened by a female in these times apparently.  
  
"So, the galley boy, is actually a girl?" I hissed. I was by no means a girl. Woman - yes, girl - no. Jack glared at me, as if saying 'Now look what you've done.' "Well, Jacky-boy, this changes our arrangement." Jack stepped away from me, placing himself between our glaring contest. He shook his head.  
  
"How does it? The girl is not worth anything. A troublesome wench, she is. Nothing but trouble since I brought her on board." He made a move towards Renfield. "Let's go up an' 'ave ourselves a drink, savvy?"  
  
"She must have some redeeming qualities, for you to keep her though, eh?" The captain ignored Jack's offer for rum as his gaze raked me up and down. I clenched my fist; I didn't take too kindly to being viewed like a piece of rump roast. Besides that, he called me a whore. And that I absolutely did not stand for.  
  
"Say that to my face, you bug-eating freakazoid." Jack shoved me back and glared at me.  
  
"It would be best if you didn't speak anymore, Chloe." He turned his back on me and grinned at Renfield.  
  
"Wench doesn't know when to shut up." I huffed out a breath, and he glanced at me over his shoulder.  
  
"Screw that! I will not let this stinky, ugly, rude, jackass of a pirate to call me a whore." Renfield's gaze narrowed.  
  
Renfield growled and pulled his pistol on me. I glared at him before resolutely using a side-kick to knock the pistol out of his hand. He bent to retrieve it, a look of pure astonishment on his face.  
  
"I wouldn't be threatenin' her if I were you, Renfield. This girl packs quite a punch, just ask Ana." The other pirate frowned.  
  
I was staring at him smugly, arms crossed over my chest. He glowered at the looks on both Jack's and my faces before stuffing his pistol back in his belt. His arms shot out and captured my shoulders, dirty fingernails digging into my wound. I whimpered in pain before kicking him resolutely in the shin. He grunted and tossed me to his crew.  
  
"Let's go men." He hissed and hobbled after his crew. "Feel lucky Sparrow. Next time, I won't settle for a sharp-tongued wench as payment." Jack chased after us and shouted at Renfield.  
  
"Leave her out of this Renfield. It's between pirates, and she's not." The other captain grinned.  
  
"Then you won't mind me taking her off of your hands then."  
  
He opened his mouth to protest, his mind working double time trying to find a way out of this mess I had landed us all in. There was no way the Pearl would survive a fight. Renfield had insisted on dragging his entire crew along, and there would be a large number of casualties. They couldn't sail the ship with less than they had now, and there weren't any islands near by to patch up any holes a cannon battle would inflict on the Pearl. All in all it looked like they were royally fucked. His eyes shot to mine. I smiled reassuringly at the torn expression on his face. He was obviously having difficulty accepting the current course of events.  
  
"Don't worry about me, Captain. I can handle myself." He shook his head, and tried to come after me, but Renfield drew his pistol, aiming it at Jack who reached for his own quickly. "NO!" I shouted struggling in earnest. "Don't hurt him! Hey, Bug-boy! Leave him alone, and leave the Pearl alone, and I'll go with you." He whirled around to look at me.  
  
"Without a fuss?" He asked curiously.  
  
"No! Chloe don't!" Jack struggled against the hold Gibbs and Anamaria had on his arms. "Trust me lass, you don't want to be doin' that!" I ignored him; my attention focused on the number of pistols being pointed at opposing sides. If I could prevent bloodshed . . .  
  
"Without a fuss." I confirmed. The other pirate grinned.  
  
"Any other terms?"  
  
"Don't harm Jack, the crew, or the Pearl ever. Ever, understand me?" He nodded. "And don't expect me to sleep with you, because . . ." I shuddered. "That's just nasty." He frowned. "Other than that, I think those are my terms." Jack was staring at me like I'd lost my mind. I winked at him and he frowned even deeper his hand tightening on the butt of his gun. He was obviously uncomfortable with being cut out of the whole parley-negotiation thing. Renfield grinned and nodded to me.  
  
"We have an accord." The pirates holding my arms dragged me across the makeshift bridge connecting the two pirate ships. The captain traded a few words with Jack before following. My eyes strained to see him as the crewmen dragged me towards the stairs. I struggled briefly, trying to catch a last glimpse of Jack. The two smelly men holding my arms roughly shoved me down the stairs, one of them cuffing me on the head when I resisted.  
  
"You bloody bastard!" I ripped free of their grip and swung around to punch him. I didn't see, unfortunately, the burly man behind me. He kicked my knees out from under me, and I hit the wood floor with a grunt.  
  
"Fighting back is not suggested, milady." The captain stated. I spat at him, and earned a boot in the ribs. I grunted, rolling into a fetal position. I could barely breathe, and I pressed my forehead in the rough planking. The pirates were cackling. Burly picked me up and dragged me to the prison cell, tossing me unceremoniously inside. I hit the ground with a gasping breath and turned slightly to glare at my captors.  
  
"You'll regret that." I vowed.  
  
"We shall see, m'dear." Renfield chuckled patronizingly. "We shall see." 


	8. Movies Ain’t Got Nothin’ on Real Life

A/N: Hello faithful readers! Thanks so much for sticking with me! This chapter was one of the hardest to write of any chapter I have ever written. I just thought I should warn you all that this chapter contain violent acts of torture and rape, although not gratuitous. I couldn't handle it myself. Just letting you know that I worked hard on this chapter, and I dragged a whole new demension out of me and into my writing. I want to take this time to thank Salienne de Lioncourt for her help and guidance through these past chapters! I appreciate it so very much! As for all of you awesome readers, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS! You have no idea how much they mean to me! Keep it up! Now on with the chapter, and here be the final warning, if you're squeamish please take caution when reading this chapter. It's not my fault if you read this and faint. I warned ye! PLEASE NO FLAMES ABOUT IT! – Kizume  
  
Chapter Seven – Movies Ain't Got Nothin' on Real Life  
  
The first thing I registered was the cold. I pulled the hem of my shirt down and shivered. Someone was snickering behind me. I groaned. "Leave me alone, Ana." I grumbled, eyes still closed, and my head pillowed on my arms. The next thing I knew, I was awake, shivering and dripping wet. Renfield was grinning at me, a bucket in his hand. "Renfield, you asshole!" I grimaced, tugging the soaked fabric of Jack's shirt.  
  
He shrugged. "You were sleepin' too soundly." He said by way of explanation. I rolled my eyes and heaved myself to my feet. I sucked in my breath at the pain that shot through my back. I remembered the toe of a boot slamming into my lower ribs and I growled. "C'mon now, we ain't got all day!"  
  
"All day for what?" I asked curiously, anger clear in my eyes as he unlocked the cell and motioned for me to step out. I moved out and crossed my arms over my chest.  
  
"Your job."  
  
"Excuse me?" I asked incredulously, both eyebrows winging up. I don't have the talent to raise a single eyebrow, much to my utter and complete annoyance. "I'm not working for you." I declared angrily.  
  
"You will." He said, not bothering to lose his temper. That was good, because I was losing mine enough for the both of us.  
  
"Who says?" I demanded stopping on our walk up the stairs. He reached for me and hauled me the rest of the way up by the arm. I tore my arm from his grasp and hissed at him. "Try that again, mate, and you'll be missing some vital body parts, get me?" He nodded, smiling before swinging a fist and punching me in the cheek. My head spun around and I fell to the deck, hands scraping on the rough wood. I coughed a little and wiggled my jaw. Well, that smarted. I pulled myself into a sitting position and he was standing over me, his hands on his hips, his oversized head blocking out the sun. I glared.  
  
"That's payback, lass." He grunted, nodding to two of his lackeys who hauled me off of the floor. I staggered a little as the world spun. My face felt huge, and I wondered what kind of bruise was currently growing on my jaw. At least he hadn't aimed for my eyes. I wasn't too keen on the whole raccoon look. He pursed his lips. "Know anything about fixin' the riggins'?"  
  
I rolled my eyes. "Yes."  
  
He dragged me over to the mast threw a rope at me and nodded. "Get to it then, woman."  
  
"Excuse me? I don't think you just called me woman, did you?" I tied the rope around me and glared at him. "I don't appreciate that."  
  
"And you're going to 'appreciate' my fist in your face again, if you don't get moving lass." I growled, taking a step forward, only to be stopped by the rope tied around my waist and around the mast as well. He raised an eyebrow. "Do we have a problem?"  
  
"We most certainly have a problem!" I declared. He strode up and slapped me again, and I fell against the mast. "Okay, fuckmook," I quoted my second favorite movie, Once Upon a Time in Mexico. The glare that I received told me he was not too excited about the new nickname. Like I gave a drowning rat's ass about what he liked or didn't. "That's the last time you lay your hand on me without any reprisals. I swear you try it again, I will kick your ass into next Thursday, comprende Renfield?"  
  
The crew had gathered around us and I was too angry to realize the dangerous situation I was getting myself into. One of the crewmembers leapt over to me from my left and as I swung around to defend I felt the prick of a knife against my throat. I swallowed. "You were saying?" The captain murmured jubilantly. I gulped.  
  
"I was saying that if you weren't such a coward, I would face you, but as it stands now, I would rather make love to a duck than waste my talents on you." I shoved the pirate with the knife to my throat and he moved away, shoving the small penknife back into his boot. The captain grimaced.  
  
"You're spunky."  
  
"Why, thank you." I bowed slightly and undid the knot on the rope around my waist.  
  
"I don't like that." He motioned for a few of the pirates to come and grab me. I glared and they hesitated.  
  
"Well, I can't help what you do or don't like." I shrugged off the hands that grabbed for me, hissing when one fisted right over a bruise. I nearly blacked out as they dragged me along.  
  
"See if you can't...work it out of her, eh, Bart?" The ham-handed henchman grunted. I tugged and he just tightened his grip. From the look in his eyes I was terrified to know just what Renfield meant by 'working' it out of me. Something told me that it wouldn't be good.  
  
Jack was in a tumult of indecision. His logical pirate brain told him he should turn the ship around and sail as fast as he could in the opposite direction, but his compassionate half, one rarely seen by anyone, wanted to hoist sails and hasten to her rescue.  
  
"Captain?" Anamaria walked up slowly and glared at him. "You aren't considering what I think you're considering?" He remained silent. "Jack, you've lost your mind. Going after her is complete suicide! You've known her little more than a week! For all you know, she could be Renfield's spy. You know how many pirates would kill to have the Pearl. And after the stunt that he nearly pulled on us in Port Royal, I should like to think you'd show a bit more caution!" He watched the female pirate rage about the room. He chuckled.  
  
"Ana." She stopped mid-tirade and glanced at him. "I won't be going after her."  
  
"Really?" She frowned and tilted her head. "But I thought . . ."  
  
"Thought what?" Jack asked rising from his perch on his old desk chair. His desk was in shambles. It had been a long time since the room had been cleaned, and he sighed, remembering that it wouldn't be cleaned unless he did it, not anymore.  
  
"I thought that you and she were . . ."  
  
"Involved?" The other pirate nodded. "No." He sighed. "Not saying I didn't try. The lass jus' wasn't interested – at the time at least."  
  
"At the time?" He chuckled and Ana rolled her eyes. "Jack, you don't just go around seducing people you've just met." He shrugged.  
  
"It's worked pretty well for me in the past." He sighed. "I wasn't sure what to do about her, but now, after your reaction, I realize what needs to be done."  
  
"And that is?"  
  
"Hoist sails." He glared at her disbelieving face. "We're going after her." He cleared his throat when she did not immediately respond. His stance and set of his face would brook no argument so her shoulders slumped and she stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Jack chuckled a little and played with a trinket in his hair. He only hoped they'd get there before Renfield's crew did too much damage.  
  
I was past weeping. The pain had intensified to the point that I could barely move. If I did, the whip would come singing down against my back again. Have you ever been whipped? No? Neither had I up 'til that point; let me tell you, that is one experience I would gladly trade for anything else. Watching the grass grow for the rest of my life, watching only Barney until I got cataracts and went deaf. Hell, eating dog shit would have been more appealing than the feel of the forked leather whip breaking my skin.  
  
The man behind me was chuckling softly. "Shouldn't resist, lass. Captain Renfield is good at breaking ornery prisoners."  
  
"Oh goodie." I shot back, yelping in pain as the whip connected, right after the smart remark left my lips. I wondered what I would do, Jack wouldn't come after me. It was too much of a risk. He couldn't, so, it was up to me to get off of this ship, back to Tortuga, and hopefully hook up with the Pearl's crew again there. I yipped as he dragged me off of the table I'd been tied to, my wounds cracking open and blood dripping down my bare back to soak the seam of my pants. My head was circling somewhere above my shoulders, and I blinked rapidly, trying to keep the room in focus. Despite a valiant effort, the darkness was closing over me. That is, until the bucket of cold water hit me. I was shocked back into my bruised and battered body so quickly I gasped. The man chuckled again.  
  
"You will speak, only when spoken to." He muttered pulling my arms up and locking my wrists in a pair of irons hanging from the ceiling.  
  
"How about, 'no'." I growled, breathing out sharply when he slapped my face again. So far, he had avoided the face. But apparently there was a time and a place for everything. "Wow, you punch like a sissy." Okay, so I'm not so bright, and I bet you could guess what happened after that remark. Oh yeah, and what you're imagining could not have been further from the truth. The truth really is more painful than fiction. And no matter how many gory movies you've seen, feeling it is so much more . . . excruciatingly painful, because in a movie the pain wasn't real. And I can most definitely assure you; THIS pain WAS real. Too real, so real in fact I still carry the scars from it.  
  
"Speak only when spoken to." I whispered, hunched over as far as my bonds would allow. I was past the point of modesty, not noticing or caring that I was currently bra-less, and topless being tortured by a sweaty, smelly, and possibly horny pirate. All I could feel was the blood, copious amounts of it, running down my back and my chest. I looked down at my collarbones and wondered if I should be able to actually see the bone. I was too lightheaded to think of anything else. All I wanted to do was pass out, and my ruthless torturer refused. He kept dumping cold, not to mention salty water on me. I wheezed out a breath at the second bucket tossed at me in less than ten minutes. "Got it."  
  
He rolled up his whip and put away his knife and I prayed he would leave me be. After all, even salt water, ice-cold salt water couldn't keep me conscious if I had to endure more of it. He grunted at me and I didn't look up. Just pressed my chin to my chest and closed my eyes, falling into the blissful release of unconsciousness.  
  
Waking up after such a beating is one of the hardest things to do. You think peeling your eyelids back after an all night study session for Calc. III is hard? Try opening your eyes and not being able to because the lashes had fused together from the salt residues on your skin! Let me tell you, it is an altogether unpleasant sensation to not be able to see, be half naked, and on a ship full of hostile, women-deprived pirates. I was not at ease at all. My arms had stretched during the night, and I was pretty sure my left shoulder had been popped out of joint. The chains of my restraints jingled as I shifted a little.  
  
"Good morning, lass." Renfield's cheery voice met me, and I frowned but said nothing. His pleased grin was visible, even though I couldn't see a thing. "Learning swiftly I see," He murmured. I raised my head and tried my best to look fierce although I could see nothing, and I probably looked like a slab of meat that came out the wrong end of a grinder. Not an altogether fearsome countenance, I must admit. I heard the creaking of a handle and braced my self, screaming as the stinging cold of the salt water splashed against my bare skin, infiltrating my wounds and making my eyes water enough for the eyelashes to come apart. I opened them and peered into the dim light. I shivered when I saw almost the entire crew standing behind him, lewd grins on their faces.  
  
I wondered briefly what they were gawking at. I mean it wasn't as if I was a triple D or anything. To look at me you must think that when God was handing out boobs, I was off listening to Linkin Park or something, because literally I have nothing there. A-cups are even too big for me, that's how pathetically un-female I am. I tried to cover myself anyway and yelped as the movement yanked on not only my dislocated shoulder, but also the numerous lashings on my back. They all laughed and I struggled to push the scathing remark on the tip of my tongue back to the pit of my stomach where it belonged.  
  
Renfield leaned over and unlocked the cell door. Then he promptly turned on his heel and left, but his crew stayed. This – after this I – I really don't – it's hard to think about. I mean, you can probably guess what happened. Guess and be way off the mark. Whatever you can think up in your head, it was much – much – MUCH worse. It was so bad – and – I really can't – don't ever want to think about it again, I won't be putting it here. And, hopefully that gives you an indication as to actually how – horrible, excruciating, painful, humiliating – you pick – but the fact that I, a lewd and horribly crude person left out something from my own life story, should tell you something.  
  
I remember crying out, more like a constant scream that no one could still. I will share this, however. Pirate's hands are rough, so rough they tear cloth. Tear it so that it is barely recognizable after their meaty paws are through with it. In the space of an hour, I was stripped of my dignity and of the one thing that had kept me sane through this whole hellish ordeal: the Essence of Jack that clung like a burr to the clothing I had been wearing. But now all I smelled was sex, and all I tasted were my tears. The pants were in a heap across the room, and I couldn't reach them, no matter how far I stretched my toes. Blood ran freely down my naked thighs, but I was numb. For the first time in my life I actually WANTED to die.  
  
I had threatened to kill myself before, warning my mother that I would swallow her sleeping pills when she wasn't looking if she didn't get off my back. But I had never really WANTED to die. I had no desire to end my life. I had dreams, and plans and hope. But as I hung in that cell with little to no light, blood running down my body to drip off of my toes, I had no hope. There was nothing ahead of me except for pain and defilement. If someone had offered me a dagger or a cyanide pill at that moment I would have gladly accepted.  
  
I lost track of the days I'd spent aboard Renfield's ship at about a week and a half. The beatings continued. Much less frequently, unless I acted up. And beaten, bleeding and often broken, I was still expected to work. I cooked, I cleaned, I sewed, and I mended. I did just about everything on that ship except steer and plunder. And if I didn't do it fast enough, I was raped. If I wasn't thorough enough, Renfield had me publicly flogged, naked, tied to the mizzenmast. I learned quickly, to work fast, quietly and well. And sometimes, even that wasn't enough. Some time after my first beating, I was again in that tiny cell, hanging by my wrists from the ceiling, this time, both my shoulders were dislocated and an eye was swelled shut. To this day, I still don't remember what I did to deserve the walloping I had received.  
  
I was barely aware that someone was in the room with me until I felt a warm chest rub against my bloody one. I stiffened and whimpered, trying to get away. I thought briefly, in a moment of foolish hope, that he seemed familiar somehow. I cringed away as his hands went up, undoing my bonds and I fell limply against him, my nose again telling me I smelled something familiar. It couldn't be though. He was on the other side of the ocean! I felt a heavy weight against my shoulder and winced, but realized the coat would cover me from view. "Hang on, Chloe." A voice whispered. "We'll get you out of here, but you need to be quiet okay?" I didn't say anything; my 'training' too engrained now for me to have spoken. His arm was supporting me as he led me up the stairs. I stumbled frequently, but he was never anything but patient. Although once or twice I cringed away from him, expecting a blow, when he just reached over to tie the coat around my waist, shielding my battered body from view of the crew.  
  
I heard their disgusted murmurs as we passed and I nearly toppled down the stairs. He scooped me up into his arms and carried me the rest of the way. I wondered what was going on. I peered over my mystery rescuer's shoulder and stared uncomprehendingly at the lights. It looked vaguely familiar. "Tortuga, love." His voice purred in my ear, and his chest rumbled against my side. My memories all flew back, and I tightened my grip, reflexively on his neck.  
  
"Jack?" I whispered, hardly daring to hope. My voice, having such little usage on board Renfield's ship decided not to work at that moment and he never heard me speak. The single word reverberated through my conscious however and my heart gave a leap in my chest. If Jack was here, I was safe. Wasn't I?  
  
He padded down the stairs to his cabin and I wept at the sight of the bed that he and I had shared some time ago. Everything seemed so different, and yet, everything was the same. He set me down gently, or tried to, since I was still glued to his chest, my hands gripping the hair on his head tight enough to have him wincing. He reached up and rubbed my hands reassuringly, coaxing my fingers to loosen and I finally gave in, so he could set me on the bed and scurry off to light some candles. He was back soon, my hands gripped tightly in his.  
  
"Chloe. You're all right now lass." He reached out to stroke my hair and I cringed away, the movement stopping his hand two inches from my face. "It's all right now, I've got ye." I started shaking then. And not nice soft tremors, but bed shaking quivers that rippled up and down my body. I cried into my hands, curled away from him and I could feel his eyes on me. I felt his hand draw near and retreat more times than I cared to count. Finally he settled in bed beside me, and I turned to him pressing my swollen face into his chest and wept. After that I knew no more, except for the pale darkness that accompanies a faint. 


	9. Aftermath and Pieces of Eight

Chapter Eight – Aftermath and the Piece of Eight  
  
Without even realizing I was awake, I launched myself across the room, in naught but Jack's coat. My widened eyes darted from one corner of the room to the next wondering why there was so much light. I hadn't seen candlelight since I'd left the Pearl. My heart pounded against my ribs and I backed into a corner, ignoring the pain that shot up my back as it pressed into the wall. I eyed the figure on the bed and began to tremble anew. The tender memories of Jack's comforting embrace flew out the window as the shape on the bed rose and stared at me. I cowered, crunching into a ball between the desk and the wall. Jack eyed me curiously, and with a strange mixture of pity and some unidentifiable emotion that I didn't care to get into.  
  
"Chloe, love, what are you doing in the corner?" I just shivered and stared at him, almost awe-struck. "Chloe, talk to me."  
  
"Where are we?" I blurted, my voice resembling the biggest, toughest bullfrog in the marsh.  
  
"We're in Tortuga." He knelt to my level and smiled reassuringly. I merely burrowed into his coat, still a little on edge as snippets of my nightmare came flashing back to me. "On the Pearl. You don't have to be afraid anymore." My eyes darted to the door as it opened, noisily reminding everyone that it needed some attention from the oil can. Anamaria poked her head through, and I trembled worse. Jack caressed my arm lightly and looked at the female pirate. "Aye Ana?"  
  
"Is she all right?"  
  
"She will be. What is it?"  
  
Ana placed the clothes on the chair by the door and inclined her head. "I just brought the clothes as you requested Captain. Gibbs would like to know what the plan is."  
  
"We sail." He stated rising to grab the clothes before laying them beside my trembling frame. My eyes darted back and forth between the pair, fright giving way to confusion and curiosity. They were too intent on one another to notice but I grabbed for the clothes and quickly changed, pulling the coat around me again.  
  
"To where, Jack?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Jack sighed and looked back at me and I burrowed into the coat.  
  
"It really doesn't matter at this point, but I think Port Royal would be our best bet."  
  
"Port Royal? But that would mean -" He cut her off.  
  
"Yes, I am well aware we would be sailing into the clutches of the Commodore, but I don't think that Renfield would follow us there." I whimpered at the sound of the captain's name and both pirates looked at me again. Embarrassed, I bowed my head. "The closer we are to danger, Ana, the farther we are from harm." Anamaria nodded before casting a pitying look my way, turned on her heel and walked out. Jack turned back and blinked, I could almost hear him wondering where the clothes had gone, although he said nothing. He eyed me and I blushed. Understanding dawned and he came over, settling beside me. "Are you goin' t'stay in the corner all night, love?"  
  
I shook my head and he grinned charmingly, offering his hand. I hesitantly took it and he hauled me to my feet. I rolled my shoulders and winced in pain. They hurt like a bitch, but it was obvious that someone had the foresight to pop both of them back into place. I raised a hand and touched my puffy eye. God, I must look a complete fright. Jack was staring at me and I tried to smile. He approached me slowly, and raised a hand to my cheek. Before I could even flinch, he was caressing the tender skin with feather-light fingertips. "Chloe, I am so sorry." I stiffened, positively mortified. Why on Earth would he need to apologize?  
  
"Don't be," I whispered hurriedly, my eyes on my bare toes. "It wasn't you who did this." His finger hooked under my chin and gently forced it up so that I looked into his eyes. I felt a flash of terror for a long moment but it was wiped away when his lips descended to mine. The kiss was soft, light and everything all at once. My knees buckled, and my hands pressed against his chest, as if undecided as to whether I would push him away or pull him closer. He wrenched away, and my eyes stayed closed, my lips stayed puckered, as though I wasn't ready to leave the solitude and peace he had granted me for those brief moments.  
  
"Chloe, I'm sorry I didn't try harder to get you back, I knew Renfield was horrible to his prisoners, but I never thought that he would . . ."  
  
I put my fingers over his lips and shook my head, trying my best to control my terror that just a mention of his name brought zinging down my spine. I pushed it away, for him - for Jack. "No, Jack. It's okay." The door swung wide at that moment and I leapt back, startled and yelping in terror. Jack swiveled to glare at poor Gibbs, whose hands were in the air like he'd been caught stealing something.  
  
"What is it Gibbs?" He demanded, one arm reaching back to tug me forward.  
  
"Sir, we are safely out of Tortuga and they are not pursuing." He smiled reassuringly at me, cowering at Jack's side, but I didn't return the smile, only buried my face in Jack's shoulder. Jack nodded and thanked Gibbs before the older man left and he turned back to me.  
  
"Chloe, you're all right now." He ran soothing hands through my hair and my shivering abated somewhat. "I know you must be so afraid, but rest assured, you are safe here, with me and my crew. We'll take care of you." He kissed my cheek. "I promise."  
  
The coming months were difficult. Especially when Anamaria actually started being nice to me. Nice, if you can imagine that. I can't, and I bloody experienced it! I had trouble finding my niche among the crew again. They were all too nice, for pirates anyway. They never let me pitch in with the work, they were always trying to help me up or down the stairs, and after two and a half months at see being catered to like a spoiled French poodle I had enough. I sent Zhao above decks, with a large abrasion on his left cheek and a boot mark on his bum to tell the whole crew I would brook no more coddling. I was a member of the crew, as the captain had said, and I wanted my fair share of work. Jack came to see me two minutes later.  
  
"Chloe, you're not strong enough to start working yet."  
  
I glared at him with a portion of my usual spunk. I was still a bit jumpy and hesitant to voice my opinions to the pirate captain for fear of reprisals even though I knew it was ridiculous to even think Jack would do something to me like HE had, but terror is never logical as I have determined. I crossed my arms wincing a little when the movement tugged on my healing scabs. Jack merely raised his brows, as if that one moment of pain proved his point.  
  
He must not have counted on my mulish stubbornness because I was up in the riggings three minutes later, quietly working knots free with my fingers. I could feel his and the entire crew's eyes on my back as I shimmied up the mast. They were obviously in awe of how quickly I was working the knots free. When I had been on the Pearl last, I could barely move, let alone move quickly. Fear had no place aboard Renfield's ship. I had to overcome it or face lashings every time I refused.  
  
With ease, I dropped back on deck and moved on to the next mast. I paused only when I felt a hand on my arm. I looked up and stared at Jack. He frowned at me and then peered up at the riggings. "Very good." He said at length. He motioned for me to go below decks. "You need a nap, you haven't slept well since you came aboard." I opened my mouth to deny his request but his level look had me nodding.  
  
"All right, fine." I conceded after a moment of staring between the two of us. I retreated to his cabin, the only one I'd ever seen, and I wondered briefly if Jack minded me spending the nights with me, instead of being able to bring other women on board. I flushed at the thought. Best leave those lines of pondering for another day. I decided, lying down carefully on the rumpled sheet and pillow of Jack's bed. Within moments, I was asleep.  
  
The room was chilly, so I rubbed my hands over my bare arms, the roughness of my palms, scraping the smooth skin of my biceps. I shivered and stared down at myself. Why was I so cold? I noticed the surrounding slowly. It was my cell. The cell I had called home, or hell, depending on the day, for nearly a month. My eyes refused to adjust to the darkness that enveloped me. Why was I here? Where was Jack? Did he not come for me; was it all a dream? I opened my mouth to call for him, but nothing came out. My vocal cords constricting as I heard the jingle of a sword against a metal studded belt just like the one Renfield was always carting about. I back away from the door swiftly, curling in a ball, hoping to hide myself, and if that was not possible, at the very least, hiding my nakedness from his cold glare. He clucked his tongue as he apparently looked over the bruises and lashes discoloring my back. I no longer felt them. I knew they were there; I was just numb to them now. He chuckled and moved forward, opening the prison gates.  
  
"Poor, poor Chloe." His voice taunted in the darkness, I jumped when his fingers trailed over my hunched back. I cringed away and he lowered himself to a crouch beside me. I tried to scoot away, but his hand clamped on my shoulders, tightening like talons on my tender flesh. I gasped and let him drag me closer. "You look a fright."  
  
"You promised." I murmured through dry, cracking lips. He laughed sharply. "You and I had an accord. Don't touch me. You promised. You promised." I chanted.  
  
"I did, didn't I?" He released me and I scooted away, back pressed into a corner, my knees drawn up tightly against my chest, ignoring the screaming of my muscles at the movement. I glared at him in the darkness, as I felt him studying me. He must have sensed my displeasure because he laughed. "I didn't say I couldn't look, love."  
  
"Don't call me that."  
  
He tutted. "Do we need to call Bart back in here lass?" I shook my head quickly, and moaned when the motion nearly made me sick. He sighed and scooted closer. "If I broke the parley, no one would know lass." He whispered in a sickening tone of desire. I cringed away and started to rise when he pulled me to him, his lips pressing harshly to mine. I backed out of the kiss and struggled.  
  
"Don't."  
  
"Hold still, love."  
  
"Leave me alone!" I struggled against the arms holding me. "Get off of me, you lying bastard! Don't touch me! I'll kill you for touching me!" The hands turned gentle, and shook my shoulders lightly.  
  
"Chloe. Wake up, love."  
  
My eyes opened groggily. I didn't realize what had woken me, but I distinctly remembered hearing Jack's voice in my head. Jack's voice had broken the spell the nightmare had cast around me, and I woke up, not in terror, but because I wanted to. What was going on? Was he here? I peered around in the semi-darkness of Jack's cabin, hoping to see his smiling face. Instead the sparse walls of dark wood stared back at me.  
  
He wasn't here. I frowned. Odd – he was always there when I woke from nightmares. Always. I'd come flying off of the pillow, swinging my fists in the air, and he'd be there, arms ready to enfold me. I sighed and turned my face back into the pillow and breathed deeply. His scent was still there, and I wallowed in it. Wallowed, that is, until I heard voices outside the cabin door. Curious, I climbed off of the mattress to investigate.  
  
"...extremely dangerous." Jack was saying. "But I think we can handle it; after all, this is the Black Pearl." I crept closer hoping to hear the plans. "These are but a blink of the treasure we'll find in the Halls of Jubilation."  
  
"Jack," A pirate that sounded suspiciously like Gibbs cut in. "The Halls of Jubilation are just a myth." Jack shook his head.  
  
"Then why do I have a map to lead us there, Gibbs? What say ye to that?" Gibbs was silent and I frowned. I hadn't ever heard of the Halls of Jubilation. But the way they were discussing it, in soft, excited whispers, I had to wonder just what was waiting in those halls?  
  
"Captain." Now Anamaria interjected her opinion. "Jack, you must have thought about Renfield in all of this..."  
  
"I did." He laughed and I could picture him waving his hands about like a lunatic. I shifted to peer through the small crack between the door and the wall. Indeed he was. It's insane how well I know that man. I thought before hunkering down to listen to the conversation. "That's why I stole the map from him." Both of the other pirates exclaimed in horror.  
  
"Jack, are ye daft?"  
  
"Do you really need to ask that, missy?" Gibbs countered. "Stealing from a pirate who already has it out for you, that is not very wise, Jack, and ye know it."  
  
"The bastard had it coming." Jack grumbled and I felt like he was referring to me and my situation. I flushed. I didn't want to cause more trouble than I already was, with nightmares, and fluctuating mood swings. Jack sighed. "Look mates, are ye pirates or not?"  
  
"We are." They replied instantly.  
  
"Am I yer captain?" He asked, lowering his tone.  
  
"Ye are." They nodded emphatically. I grinned. Their answer left no doubt that they were one-hundred percent behind Jack and his hair-brained schemes. That warmed my heart. I didn't want Jack to ever have to go through another mutiny again. After seeing the extent to which Barbossa's betrayal had hurt him, it was something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy...well maybe not. Renfield was sure welcome to the sensation, in my opinion! But then again...I'm biased. Fucking bastard.  
  
"One final question, mates – have I ever given you reason not to trust me."  
  
"No."  
  
He grinned. "Oh, good." He slapped his palms down on the table, and stared down at the map. "Okay, so, Gibbs, set a course." He handed him the map after a millisecond of hesitation, smiling nervously. Gibbs understood the gesture and clapped him on the shoulder reassuringly before climbing the stairs. Anamaria stayed behind.  
  
"Jack..." He turned to stare at her.  
  
"Aye, lass?"  
  
"He'll be coming after us in earnest now." She whispered, but even I could hear the fear in her voice. "He'll be out for blood after this. We took not only his map, but his current play-thing." I bristled at the term and would have stormed out to give the other female a piece of my mind if Jack had not spoken.  
  
"'Twas my plan." He replied cryptically. "I have to check on Chloe. Go above deck, and wait for me there."  
  
"Captain, you care for her a lot don't you?"  
  
He inclined his head and sighed. "Go above deck." He repeated before coming my way. I drew a breath in sharply and flew back to bed, leaping onto the covers, closing my eyes just as the door opened. I heard his boots on the wood. The bed sank under his weight, and I struggled to keep my eyes closed, and my face relaxed. I felt his hand on my forehead, smoothing back the dark, bed-mussed hair. I sighed at the contact and pressed closer to him. I heard his soft chuckle before his mouth lowered and brushed against my forehead. My eyes fluttered open. "Sleep well?" He asked, peering down at me.  
  
I nodded, my throat was too constricted to say anything. He smiled and I sat up, so that I was sitting, with my legs stretched out, facing him, and he was perched on the side of the bed, his upper body angled towards mine. I dropped my gaze to his lips then back up to his eyes. "Jack...I..." I tried to form a coherent thought, but to my astonishment, Jack just leaned in and kissed me lightly on the lips, silencing my stuttering babble.  
  
"Be quiet a minute will you?" He whispered against my lips. I moaned in answer leaning forward to put more pressure behind the kiss. He leaned backwards, attempting to stretch out but, neither one of us counted on the fact that he was precariously perched on the side of the bed, and this movement made his rear slide off of the sheets and made us both tumble unceremoniously to the floor. I struggled to right myself, but only succeed in tangling our limbs more than they already were as Jack attempted the same feat. We stared at one another before we started to laugh. He rolled us over onto our sides, his hands resting calmly on my waist, and mine were twined around his neck.  
  
"Well, that was graceful." I commented, grinning. I loved laughing. Aboard Renfield's ship I had never laughed, or even smiled. If I had, I would have probably been beaten for it. It felt so good to cut loose and have a good laugh.  
  
"I suppose it was – wasn't it?" He asked, running a callused hand up my arm. "After all, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." I snorted and he raised an eyebrow at me.  
  
"Usually, you're building yourself up, not tearing yourself down." I commented. He frowned and after a minute started laughing again, hauling me closer to him.  
  
"Indeed." He murmured, and I chuckled. He was getting too good at mimicking Commodore Norrington. It was downright hilarious. I wondered briefly what the Commodore would do if he heard his whiny voice coming out of Jack's mouth. The prospect held considerable amusement for all parties, except for Norrington of course, but what did he matter? Jack eyed me curiously. "What's going on in your head, love?" He whispered, pushing a lock of hair behind my ear.  
  
"Just thinkin'." I replied.  
  
"Well stop." He murmured, sinking in for another soft kiss. "You're thinkin' too loud, I can hear you all the way over here." He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. I shot him a look.  
  
"'All the way over here'? Please. You're like two inches away from me. I can feel your heart beating." I declared, before his mouth swoops down and captures mine.  
  
"Two inches, oy?" He whispered, scooting closer. "Let's remedy that, shall we?" I nodded, breathless at the look in his eyes and the fit his body made against mine. I shivered delicately and he smirked (A/N: See the blacksmith scene to know what smirk I am talking about *swoons*) before tracing my jaw with a finger. I shiver again, more violently this time and his smile vanishes as quickly as it came. We both looked up when Anamaria barged into the room.  
  
"Jack I need to be talkin' to ye - oh -" She turned around quickly when she saw us in our – erm – plight, and we both smothered a laugh. You'd think she'd never seen such a sight before. I doubted that was the case however, after all, Jack had been the Pearl for a long time, surely she'd seen something more...uh... we'll just say, 'more' - than two people cuddling on the floor. I felt Jack's had drift towards my posterior and my eyebrows raised eyes dark and trained on his. He pinched my ass lightly and I jumped, yipping a little. He laughed and I reached behind me, moving the hand upwards, not off, just upwards. He looked at me with this devilish smile on his face and his hand started travel back down again.  
  
"If you don't want to turn into Captain Hook, I would advise you never to do that again." I warned him in a low voice. His hand paused.  
  
"What is it Ana?" He asked turning his head to look at her, giving me a mouthwatering look at his muscular neck. Thoughts of revenge were boiling in my head. I didn't think of the consequences, or anything other than getting him back for what he'd done to my poor rear end that was hurting like a bitch.  
  
Okay, I'm a creature of impulse. So sue me! I leaned over and licked the tanned skin, using my whole tongue and nipping sharply before pulling back. "Is som- YOW!" He jerked away and stared down at me. My eyes were dark with mischief and he frowned. I smacked my lips and smirked, not quite as effective as the captain's but the result was happy enough, he hauled me closer to him, so that I wondered why I wasn't coming out the other side of him.  
  
"Captain, there's a storm brewing." She said, oblivious, at least partly, of the little game going on behind her. She stared at the wall as though her life depended on it. I thought I could hear her cursing both of us in her mind, and chuckled.  
  
"How bad is it?" He asked  
  
"It looks pretty bad, but if we drop canvas we should be able to ride it out no problem." She crossed her arms behind her back, holding her elbows and shifting from foot to foot. He nodded and sighed.  
  
"All right, I'll be up in a minute."  
  
She jerked. "No, that's all right. The crew can handle it Captain, if you're...um...otherwise engaged." I snorted out a laugh and he bit my earlobe. The snort turned into a muffled moan and Anamaria fairly jumped out of her skin. "I'd better get back up on deck." She replied hurriedly, stalking out of the room shutting the door quickly behind her. I burst out laughing, only stopping when Jack eyed me with frustration.  
  
"What?" I asked innocently. He just rolled his eyes and hauled himself to his feet. My laughter followed him out as he climbed the stairs towards the helm. 


	10. A Visitor with an Unexpected Proposition

Chapter Nine: A Visitor with an Unexpected Proposition  
  
The days progressed slowly, as we sailed for the Halls of Jubilation. Every once in a while, I could see Jack, from my perch among the riggings, casting looks over his shoulder. This unnerved me so much I started watching the horizon behind us with as much interest, and dread. One day, eight days after returning to the Pearl I caught Jack's eye and he waved me down off of the mast. I nodded, waving so he knew I understood him. With little delay I slid down the ropes meeting him on deck.  
  
"You wanted to see me Captain?"  
  
He nodded. "I would be much appreciated if you would start spending time below-decks in the galley." My expression must have alarmed him, because he quickly shrugged off the worry evident in his tone and smiled briefly. "Just for my peace of mind, you understand Chloe?" I nodded.  
  
"Aye." I put a hand on his arm when he would have retreated. "What is it Jack?"  
  
He shook his head. "Please don't ask me that Chloe." His eyes implored me to leave well enough alone, but I had never been good at heeding that sort of thing.  
  
"Jack..." I approached him hesitantly and wrapped my arms around his neck, tensed and waiting for his arms to encircle my waist. They finally did and he hugged me awkwardly. "What's troubling you, Jack?"  
  
He frowned into my hair and I tightened my grip. Why wasn't he telling me? What could be so bad that he would keep things from me? Granted, we hadn't done more than kiss, and by rights, I shouldn't expect him to be all open and forthright with me, but sue me; I did. I pulled away and cupped his cheeks in my hand. "Jack, please tell me what's wrong."  
  
"Nothing, love." I eyed him and knew almost immediately he was lying. In a swift move, I grabbed his braided hair and tugged him into my embrace. My lips were hot and urgent on his, and his arms wrapped around my waist, squeezing like a drowning man in the middle of a storm-tossed sea.  
  
"Don't ever lie to me again, savvy?" I asked, pulling back just enough to see his eyes. He frowned, obviously thinking things over. His hands clenched and unclenched at my back, fisting in my shirt. I sighed. "I'm not trying to be the annoying ass woman that bugs you at every turn...but I am here to tell you, I can handle most anything you throw at me. I survived high school, the parent from Hades, a father who stole money out of my piggy bank and being beaten and brutalized by smelly ugly pirates. There's not much that can shock me, Jack."  
  
Jack sighed. "You really want to hear?"  
  
"If it'll make you feel better."  
  
There was a long pause where we both studied one another. He must have read the determination in my eyes, because he sighed and wrapped his arms around my body and hauling me closer to him. "I took something beside you off of Renfield's boat." My brows scrunched together. Didn't he know I already knew...? "I took a map."  
  
"A map?" I parroted. Apparently he DIDN'T know.  
  
Jack nodded his eyes solemn and sad. "Aye. I took a map that leads to the biggest treasure trove in all of pirate history." He shook his head. "It was rash of me, but I took it with the expressed purpose of revenge. Only I didn't think further ahead than that."  
  
I frowned. Just what was he getting at? I mean...this didn't sound anything like the story he'd told to Ana and Gibbs...Jack had at least been excited then, not stony and depressing. "Jack, what are you saying?"  
  
"Renfield's chasing us."  
  
My eyes drifted to our stern and I squeaked in surprise and horror. There, two to three hundred leagues from where we stood was the outline of a ship, one that hadn't been there that morning. I must have jumped in fright, because Jack's arms wound around me again. "I won't let 'im touch you again, lass. I swear. His ship may be fast, but the Pearl is the fastest ship in the Caribbean, savvy?" I gulped and nodded, turning my eyes back to his when I felt a tug on the fat braid that hung down the middle of my back. "I mean it Chloe."  
  
"I know, Jack." He looked at me and I felt the need to elaborate. "I trust you, to take care of..."  
  
"CAPTAIN!" Ana shouted from the crow's nest. "SAIL HO!"  
  
"I know Ana!" He shouted back. She shook her head fervently and I frowned. What the...  
  
"NOT THOSE SAILS!" She pointed off the starboard bow. These were much closer. "THOSE SAILS." Jack's eyes widened.  
  
"GOOD GRAVY!" I yelped. "That's the Dauntless!"  
  
Jack was no longer by my side, but scrambling up the stairs to the helm. His voice carried over the wind, shouting orders to his crew. The last thing we needed at this moment was a run in with you know who...  
  
Thirty minutes later...the Pearl was boarded. Not a single shot fired, since the Commodore had run up the flag of truce, asking for a parley when the two ships were close enough to hear his shouts. Jack relented only because the Commodore's crew outnumbered us fifteen to one. Not very good odds, even if you factored in Captain Jack I-can-weasel-my- way-out-of-anything-'cause-I'm-a lucky-son-of-a-gun Sparrow.  
  
Jack and the Commodore were eyeing one another. I edged my way through the crowd of pirates and smirked when I caught the tail end of Jack's words. "...so glad you thought to spare me ship, mate. Though a bit out of character, is it not? Not that I'm complainin'!" He grinned, and shifted his weight, donning the façade of a drunkard.  
  
"I knew it." I whispered. A few pirates turned and looked at me funny. I shrugged. Ever since I had seen the movies I wondered if the whole drunkenness was an act to make people underestimate him. And as I watched the commodore roll his eyes and shove Jack's arms off of his shoulder, I could see that it worked rather well.  
  
"Indeed." Good Lord, that man needs a new line. I mean, honestly!  
  
Jack grinned. "So what brings you aboard my Pearl, eh, Commadore?"  
  
The commodore straightened. "I need your help."  
  
Both Jack and I goggled. He was asking for help? – Willingly? Our eyes met and we both quirked a brow. That was interesting.  
  
The commodore grew impatient, tapping his foot on the deck. Finally he threw up his hands and groaned loudly. "AREN'T you even going to ask what I need your help with?"  
  
Jack grinned. "If it's about girl troubles...I'm afraid you're hopeless, mate."  
  
I couldn't help it. Jack's expression was deadpan, and the commodore looked like he was going to explode. I really couldn't resist. I bent over at the waist and laughed – loudly. Both men's heads swiveled my way and regarded me with varying expressions. Jack was amused, and the commodore was...something less than that.  
  
"I see you still employ the rudest brigands in the whole ocean..." He commented dryly.  
  
"Aye, Chloe's a pistol." He grinned and winked at me. I grinned back.  
  
Commodore Norrington and I stared at one another. "You're a girl!" He exclaimed. I rolled my eyes.  
  
"Observant one, he is." I muttered to Zhao who grinned and shook his head. Jack eyed me curiously and I did a slight curtsy, just to tick the commodore off. "Why yes I am." I replied in a sugary sweet voice that would have made anyone want to hurl. The commodore eyed me for a long moment before turning back to Jack.  
  
"Yes. I do need your help."  
  
Jack nodded. "Established that already, we did, James old boy," He chuckled, toying with the braids on his chin. I smirked and rolled my eyes when the commodore's fists clenched. Honestly, this man was more than predictable.  
  
"I would appreciate it if you would not refer to me so informally, Sparrow." He ground out, squeezing the fabric of his jacket between his fists. It was blatantly obvious that Jack was getting on his nerve. I grinned. Good. "Now, as to my purpose for being here..."  
  
"'Bout time we got to that, mate." Jack mumbled, smiling disarmingly as the Commodore shot him a glare.  
  
"Yes, well, I came to ask your assistance in the capture of a certain pirate."  
  
Jack rolled his eyes. "I don' turn in me mates, commodore...now if that be all..."  
  
"Marcus Renfield." My face paled and every eye of the Pearl's crew shot to mine. I shrugged and tried my best to look nonchalant, but the half- healed scars between my shoulder blades throbbed. I looked at Jack and found his eyes on me. With a sigh he turned back around.  
  
"And just why would I be doin' that?" Jack asked, keeping his eyes blank of the anger I could see curling his fingers into tight fists, the knuckles white with rage.  
  
The commodore shot me a slight look then sighed. "He's taken Elizabeth."  
  
My eyes widened. "What?" I blurted. I felt extremely upset by this news, not as a person who happened to like Elizabeth in the movie... (Don't shoot me please, she is a moron for not sleeping with the Captain when she had a chance, but...oh never mind!). There was no way I would wish what happened to me; what would probably happen to her, on even my worst enemy. Hell, I'd even want to spare Lucifer that kind of pain...almost.  
  
Jack was just as shocked. "What? When? How?"  
  
The commodore rubbed his hands over his eyes and sighed deeply. "About three days ago. His ship slipped past our defenses and when we woke, Mrs. Turner was missing from her father's house."  
  
"Where' Will?" I asked, moving to stand beside Jack, making Anamaria roll her eyes and Gibbs mutter under his breath.  
  
The commodore sighed again. "Will...Will is in a bad way."  
  
"How 'bad'?" Jack and I demanded together.  
  
He sat sharply on the railing. "He's been shot." 


	11. Rat Trap or Trapped by a Rat

Chapter Ten – Rat Trap or Trapped by a Rat  
  
I was the first to break out of the silence. "Where?"  
  
The commodore stared at me. "What do you mean 'where'?"  
  
I rolled my eyes. Men can be so dense. "Where was he shot? Head, leg, heart, butt; WHERE?"  
  
The commodore sighed and looked at the blue sky, as if I was some two- year-old trying on his last nerve. I bristled. It was a perfectly legitimate question, and the pain in the ass refused to answer. I glared at him and finally Jack interrupted the silence. "Where was he shot, Commodore?"  
  
"He was only shot in his thigh..." He muttered. I glared. I reached over and punched him in the shoulder, hard enough to send his frame dangerously close to falling overboard.  
  
"Don't ever do that again!" I growled. "I thought he was dead! You jackass!" He stared at me wide eyed...and appreciative. I shuddered. Oh Lord. Thankfully, he turned around and regarded Jack with a cool frown again. If he had tried to come on to me, I believe I would have hurled. Thankfully, Jack interrupted again, saving me from further nauseating experiences.  
  
"And this would make me want to help you, why?" Jack asked. I eyed him in surprise and wondered just what the Captain had up his sleeve. From what I could tell in the stories he told of their escapades he and Will were pretty close. Not that close, you Jack and Will slash freaks. Jack is wholly heterosexual. How do I know? None of your damn business! Wife's privilege, that's all you get out of me, I swear to God!  
  
"Because you're a pirate. I would figure you'd like to remove the..." He shuddered delicately. "Competition."  
  
"Hmm...tempting offer...but...I don't think it would be wise for me to get mixed up in this thing..." He shot me another look and I knew he was only telling the Commodore those things because he was worried about me. To tell you the truth, the way he had been acting around me of late, had me wondering just what was going on in his head. I mean it was not like a pirate to put another's physical welfare above their own financial well being. It was just plumb out of character.  
  
Another benefit for being a person-watcher, was you saw things most people missed. Telling the commodore to shove off, essentially, was tearing Jack apart inside. So, being the meddling woman that I am, I decided to intervene.  
  
"We'll help." I interjected, Jack sending me a glare fit to kill. I remained standing however, ignoring the speculative glances the commodore sent my way and the grumbling going on around me as I sidled up to Jack's side. "Jack, Will's your friend. You need to go and help him. Don't worry about me."  
  
"Will may be my friend but I..." He paused and I could have sworn his skin went deathly white. Or as whit as it could go, considering the dark tan Jack was sporting. "I love you."  
  
My eyes widened and everyone around us within hearing distance gasped. I stuttered. "W-w-w-what did you say?"  
  
"I love you, Chloe."  
  
I shivered. "Jack...I..." For once I was at a loss for words. He loved me? The playboy of the Caribbean actually said he loved me, in front of the whole crew, the woman he might have had a fling with, and his mortal enemy (besides Barbossa who's dead...so technically he needed a new arch enemy and it looked like the Commodore was elected)? Would the madness never end!  
  
"Please don't say anything, Chloe. I don't need to hear the words right away, I know you've been through a lot, but..."  
  
"And I know you're probably having a nice moment, but I really think we should get going if we're going to do this." The Commodore interjected. We sighed and turned to him.  
  
"Okay..." I tapped my finger on my lip and stared off into space, a kooky plan developing in my mind.  
  
Jack eyed me suspiciously. "Just what is going on in your head, may I ask, Chloe, love?" I shrugged.  
  
"I have a plan."  
  
He watched me for a long minute, as if studying my ever feature. "Why do I get the feeling I won't like this plan very much?"  
  
"Probably because you won't?"  
  
"Great." He groaned. "Perfect."  
  
The commodore waved Jack and me over to his ship and we followed him across the gangplank they had set up as a walkway. "Okay, let's hear this plan, Chloe." The commodore murmured, crossing his arms in front of his chest. With a small nod, I laid it all down.  
  
Some time later when I finished with my plan both men were sitting silently, mouths agape and horror in their eyes. Apparently it went over a lot worse than I had thought it might.  
  
"Absolutely not!" They cried in one voice. They looked at each other uneasily and I struggled with a giggle.  
  
"Out of the question, Chloe." Jack murmured, approaching me. "I am not handing you into his clutches again." He shook his head when I opened my mouth to protest. The Commodore however, saw this, as an opportunity to step in and give me is unwanted opinion as well.  
  
"I agree. It is much to dangerous for your kind."  
  
"My kind?" I bristled. The last thing I needed was a man insulting my gender. Insult the plan all you want, commodore, but don't insult the plan! I crossed to him angrily and gave him a shove in the shoulder. He tottered a bit before planting his feet more firmly on the deck. That, if you couldn't guess is a big pet peeve of mine. As for the commodore, he was lucky there were no clean scalpels near by, although he did receive a quite vicious glare on my part. "I don't have a kind, thank you very much, and I'm betting I could be useful. I could get on the ship, make sure that Elizabeth is okay." The Commodore backed away from the threat in my eyes and plopped into a chair.  
  
They exchanged glances. I could tell that Jack was torn, but the Commodore was just scowling, arms crossed over his chest, sitting ramrod straight in his chair. I rolled my eyes. "Come on, kids. I can handle this no problem."  
  
"Kids?" The Commodore squawked, leaping up. My eyes were on Jack's and his on mine. We stared at each other, ignoring him completely.  
  
"I don't want you to get hurt again." Jack murmured, reaching out to cup the back of my neck in his hand. I sighed and touched his cheek.  
  
"Don't worry about me Sparrow. We'll get Will, because my plan will never work without him, and you can use that time to think the plan over. Does that seem fair enough to you?" Jack nodded after a long pause.  
  
"Fine."  
  
"I cannot believe you're even considering this, Sparrow." Norrington stuck his nose in the air and looked away. "I will not be party to this foolishness. Why, that pirate would slit that girl's throat as soon as look at her." He shook his head. "No. My English decency simply cannot allow it."  
  
"Stuff it, Norrington." I grumbled. "You know nothing about what Renfield is capable of. I do. And if I say I can bring back Elizabeth alive, I damn well can and will bring Elizabeth back alive." I turned away, heading back towards the Pearl. "And as far as I can see we are wasting time, and Elizabeth needs our help. Or, would you rather sit here and let her die because of your retarded English decency?" I looked over my shoulder at his red face.  
  
He stared at me for a long moment and I glared back. There was not much I could do after that, other than hope the Commodore would acquiesce because I couldn't bear the thought of another woman going through all that I had. And for some insane reason, I was willing to expose myself to that very torture again, in order to prevent it. Funny ol' world init?  
  
"Gilette! Set a course for Port Royal."  
  
"Aye sir."  
  
The Commodore frowned at us. "Let us hope you are right, Chloe."  
  
"I am." I replied confidently.  
  
We reached Port Royal without incident. Once we had docked, Jack, the Commodore and I disembarked and headed for the Governor's hilltop mansion. Seeing it in person was more awe inspiring than I had first thought it would be and I grinned, lacing my fingers with Jack's as we trudged up the gravel drive.  
  
The Commodore glared at us. "Not one word out of either of you. Upset the Governor and risk your necks." We both rolled our eyes and followed him into the drawing room after a servant had motioned us in.  
  
"James!" The Governor rushed down the stairs. "Any news?"  
  
I could see he hated crushing the governor's hopes, but there was no help for it. "No sir. Is Turner awake?"  
  
Weatherby nodded. "Yes. He's bellowing to get out of bed." He shook his head, the ringlets of his wig swinging back and forth.  
  
All four of us looked up at the sound of a scream. Jack and I made a move to dart up the stairs when a small maid came rushing out of a room and down the stairs, completely wet from the waist up, with her hands in her ruined hair, desperately trying to keep the hat in place. "I'm sorry Gov'nah, but I just can't do anything with that man. He's...he's absolutely incorrigible."  
  
Jack and I looked at each other. "Will?" Jack murmured.  
  
"Incorrigible?" I replied just as flabbergasted. The governor sighed. Without a word to the upset maid, he started up the stairs, Norrington, Jack and myself falling in step behind. The last thing either of us expected to see, was a half-naked, Will Turner, (From the waist up, you sickos!) tying bed-sheets together, a determined, yet pained frown on his face. I leapt forward and snatched the sheet from him. "And just WHERE do you think YOU are going?" I asked, in my best Captain Hook impression. He eyed me.  
  
"Who in bloody hell are you?"  
  
I blinked. "He curses? Hallelujah! He's a man after all!" He glared at me slightly before looking over my shoulder.  
  
"Jack?"  
  
He grinned. "Aye lad. Norrington here came and fetched me, to aid in the return of your bonny lass." Will growled low in his throat and made a grab for the bed sheets still clasped in my hands. I held them easily out of reach and he struggled to stand up, his bad leg giving out under his weight and sending him toppling back onto the bed. I felt a stirring of pity and I looked at Jack.  
  
"Jack, let's take the poor thing with us."  
  
"Poor thing?" Norrington parroted. "He's been shot in the leg."  
  
"Have not." Will muttered. "I was shot in the ass."  
  
"Somebody shot you in the ass!" I cried out randomly, thanking Jerry Bruckheimer for making a sequel to Bad Boys. "Bad boys bad boys whatcha gonna do..." I noticed everyone staring at me and I blushed. "Sorry."  
  
Jack shook his head. "It's not a good idea, Chloe."  
  
I frowned. "Without him, the plan to get Elizabeth back is never going to work."  
  
Commodore Norrington shook his head. "I still don't see why we need a cripple to help us rescue Elizabeth." I rolled my eyes.  
  
"One, because she's HIS wife, and it would be sick, sad and wrong not to include him in her rescue and two, that's for me to know and you to just deal with." Norrington sputtered and looked at Jack, wondering if he would reprimand me for my outlandish behavior. When he only folded his arms behind his back and rocked onto his heels, the Commodore growled.  
  
"This is highly unorthodox." He muttered to the Governor, who nodded his head silently, eyes trained on me warily, as though he expected me to steal from him at any moment.  
  
"Unorthodox is my middle name." I snapped. "Now, every minute we waste is a minute that Elizabeth has to be with that bug-eating freakazoid." Jack snickered. The others eyed me in confusion, but I ignored them and went over to help Will up and we both hobbled out of the room behind Jack, the Commodore and Governor following as an afterthought.  
  
"Thank you." Will whispered in my ear as we walked towards the dock. I smiled at him, catching his thankful grin out of the corner of my eye. Will was about a foot taller than me, and I could tell he was already tiring. His weight sagged against me and a fine sheen of sweat was coating his face. It was about that time I realized he was walking about Port Royal in nothing but his unmentionables. I flushed.  
  
"Jack, we need to get this boy some clothes." I shouted, he turned and looked Will over, s lewd grin plastering on his face. I shot him an unhappy look and he hastily nodded, quickening his pace. Will and I struggled to keep up, after all, the poor man HAD been shot in the ass.  
  
"Boy?" Will asked curiously, a hint of affronted ego in his tone.  
  
"Just a term, sonny-boy. One I use with every guy I know." I murmured, shifting his weight a bit. "Shot in the tush, were you?" He nodded.  
  
"Bastard did it on purpose too." Will groused. I stopped in mid- stride and he looked at me curiously.  
  
"What'd you say?"  
  
"I said he purposefully aimed for my hind end."  
  
My eyes widened. "It was all planned." Will looked over at me.  
  
"What?" I wasn't listening, only hastened our momentum up the gangplank where I deposited Will with Gibbs and Anamaria and went in search of Jack.  
  
"Jack. Jack! JACK!" I raced down the stairs to the cabins below decks running to the end and pounding on his door.  
  
"Oy!" He shouted back from behind the closed door of his cabin. "I'm looking for some clothes for the lad. Come in if ye want." He invited. I hesitated on the threshold.  
  
"Are you decent?" I asked.  
  
"Hardly ever, darling. Come in." I pushed the door open and stared at his backside as he rummaged through the drawers. Not a bad sight, I must say so, and if I know you all, you're picturing my husband's wonderful backside at this moment. Well stop, or I'll stab you with a red-hot poker, savvy? "What is it Chloe?" I shook my head.  
  
"Renfield did this on purpose."  
  
"What?" Jack pulled his head out of the closet and looked at me owlishly.  
  
"He took Elizabeth, and shot Will in the ass for a reason. He wanted us here. He wanted the Pearl here. It's a trap!" Just at that moment, there were muffled sounds of gunfire, and the shouts of the crew. Jack sprang up and rushed from the room.  
  
"STAY HERE!" He ordered on his way out. I ignored this and followed him, more slowly, of course. With caution I poked my head around the corner, groaning when I saw Renfield's accursed boat. I caught Anamaria's eye and she toddled over with Will.  
  
"Take him and get below." She ordered, drawing her sword and pistol. I growled.  
  
"I will not be sent away like some child." I hissed. "I'm every bit as much a member of this crew as you!"  
  
"And I have a reason to be up here, too!" Will stated emphatically, standing up straight. "That's my wife on that ship over there!"  
  
"You're more of a danger than an asset." Annamaria growled at me, shoving us towards the stairs when Renfield hopped aboard. "And you, you think you can do much with a chuck of metal in your ass, and not a stitch on you? Get below. Captain's orders." I frowned and turned away, leading Will down the rest of the stairs.  
  
"You're just going to take that?" He demanded hoarsely. I shook my head.  
  
"Of course not." With little care I shoved him into the room reserved for rich prisoners. There was a lock on the outside of the door and I pushed it in once I had it fully shut between us. "Now if you'll excuse me." I hurried silently back to the deck, pulling my hat lower over my eyes, and tucking my braids inside of it. With as much caution as a snake handling a scorpion, I edged towards the railing, snagging a rope and swinging over onto his ship. With many of Renfield's pirates aboard the Pearl, I managed to slip by with very little opposition, unless you want to count the fat pirate sleeping outside of the prison cells. I dispatched him easily with the knife I kept in my boot and slipped inside. The sounds of the cannons were magnified in this tiny room, and I had to force myself not to cover my ears.  
  
This room was eerily familiar. It was small enough that I could raise both arms and touch the cell doors that lined both walls of the room. I hurried towards the back of the room, shivering as I passed my own cell on the way.  
  
As suspected, Elizabeth was hanging in the farthest cell to the right. I frowned and edged closer. She had yet to be stripped of her clothing, but it was obvious from the wear and tear of the simple dress that she'd been through a lot. My stomach turned at the sight of blood. It coated the sides of her neck and the collar of the dress, and was nearly black in the failing light of the cramped room.  
  
"Who's there?" The voice was shaky, not at all like I'd expected it to be. Silently, I edged closer. A small shaft of light from a dying candle afforded me a glimpse of her my breath caught in my throat. Her eyes...good God, the bastard had ripped them out! 


	12. Caged Sparrow

Chapter Eleven: Caged Sparrow  
  
"Oh God..." I whispered approaching the cell door. She was hanging by her wrists, and her head swiveled frantically from side to side as if to determine where I was.  
  
"Who's there?" She asked again, tears edging into her voice. I reached into my pocket and fished out the keys I had taken from the fat guard after slitting his throat. The jangle of the keys made Elizabeth lose her battle with tears. She lowered her head to her chest and wept.  
  
"Elizabeth. Shh." I cautioned her, turning the key. "I'm here to help you. Will's here to save you."  
  
"Will?" She sounded so pathetically grateful, my heart twisted in my chest and my own eyes stung with tears. I walked up to her, staring at her face. Oh thank God! Her eyes were not gone. There were, however, long knife wounds to each cheek and blood ran down both sides of her neck in red stripes. I blew out a relieved breath. Murmuring soothingly to Elizabeth, who tried to push herself away from my advancing hands, I reached up and unlocked the manacles, her tall frame collapsing on me. I grunted under the weight, but hurried her out of the door.  
  
We were on the deck in no time at all and I dragged her behind me, making sure that we were not seen by any of the handful of pirates remaining on Renfield's ship. I didn't know what to do, so I leaned up against the wall and thought furiously. Cannons boomed around me, men were shouting, screaming with bullets whizzed back and forth. This was not the most opportune time for them to be having a battle. I thought disgruntled. But, I guess we have to make due.  
  
My thoughts were a swirl of indecision, Elizabeth was mumbling incoherently next to me, constantly reminding me I was not only responsible for my safety, but hers as well. I leaned my head back against the rough wood and cursed silently. The minute we swung onto the rope, they'd know, and possibly shoot us for our trouble. Elizabeth was cowering against me, hands fisted in my shirt. I finally decided that the only chance we had was to act, and, I thought watching Renfield carefully, act quickly.  
  
"Okay. Calm down, Elizabeth, I'm going to get you out of here." With a little more cajoling, I edged her toward the rope that hung off of the ship. "Okay, grab hold, and when I tell you, swing across." I stared out at the melee going on aboard the Pearl and cursed slightly. There were so many moving bodies it was hard to see who was on whose side. It was more than a little frustrating. "Okay...get ready." Once I spotted Jack near her prospected landing spot, I shoved her back lightly. "Go! Now!" She swung across, not as nimbly as a pirate but she passed over the choppy chasm of water that lay between the two ships, and fell, right into Jack's arms. I grinned, and waited anxiously for the rope to swing back my way. I closed my hand around it just as I heard something that made my blood freeze in my veins.  
  
"Hello, missy." I whirled around and blanched when I saw who was standing in front of me. After a long moment of utter terror I jerked my chin and snarled. I would not be afraid.  
  
"Renfield." I stated shortly, making a discrete move towards the knife tucked in my boot, letting the rope fall from my grasp.  
  
"Lost your manners, I see." He commented, dryly, his eyes trained on my up-turned face. I drew the knife out of my boot and slowly stood, hiding it behind my back. He advanced on me a few steps and I stood my ground. "All of them, it seems."  
  
"So sorry to disappoint." I snapped, readying the knife. He growled and took another step forward. Just a little closer, I thought, tensing for his slap. Now that I knew what to look for, predicting the moment of his attack was much simpler than I thought it would be. He reached his arm back, and followed through, but I ducked, and came up underneath his defenses, knife poised to stab him.  
  
The rapport of another cannon sounded in my ears, and I went flying, hitting the deck with a loud grunt. I pushed myself up on my elbows and looked around. The Pearl lay to port, and with the Dauntless moored up on the right, Renfield was surrounded. I could hear him cursing from not too far away, and I quickly sprang to my feet. I saw the Pearl drawing away, and I rushed towards the railing. I leapt out onto a swinging rope, charred black from cannon blasts. Just as my hands found purchase on the roughened fibers of the grappling hook's rope, a sharp stinging pain shot through my shoulder. My hands lost their tight grip and I slid from the rope into the warm blue waters of the Caribbean.  
  
"Back away gents, she's waking up." A voice spoke with authority over my head. I groaned and tried to open my eyes. "Go on now, he wished to be informed when she woke up." There was a mumbling ascension before boots clattered on a stone floor. Stone? I moaned again and managed to get my eyes open a slit. "'Ello, miss." I stared at the man in front of me.  
  
His face was not that of a pirate. It was too clean for that. He was not dressed like a pirate either. White breeches and a dark blue coat suggested he was a British Naval officer, but with my screaming headache, I wasn't too certain. He wasn't that bad looking either. His face was round, pale with an easy smile on his lips. His hair was as blonde as any that came out of a bottle, and fringes of it were curling at his temples in the humid air. I struggled to sit up and he pushed me down again. "T'would be wise not to move, as yet, miss. You had quite an injury."  
  
"Where am I?" I croaked, as I sat up anyway, hissing when pain shot through my back, as the movement tugged on my bandaged shoulder.  
  
"That's for me to know, and you to just deal with." A familiar voice replied. I turned and eyed the Commodore with a slight frown.  
  
"Norrington?" I asked incredulously. He nodded slightly. "What the bloody hell is going on here? Where's Jack?" His face darkened.  
  
"Jack, has been kidnapped." I paled. "We were able to save the ship, and a majority of the crew; Elizabeth and Will are safe." I nodded mutely, my mind a flurry of thoughts. All I could think about was that Renfield had my Jack.  
  
"Well, what are we waiting for, let's go!" I started to slide my legs to one side of the bed I was laying on only to be shoved back by Blondie. I struggled until the bandage wrapped tightly around my chest squeezed suddenly causing me to yelp and fall back onto the bed, Blondie standing over me.  
  
Norrington shook his head. "I'm sorry, Miss Chloe. I cannot allow that." I glared and began struggling again. Blondie held my arms at my side, and leaned his weight on them, effectively pinning me in place.  
  
"You're 'English decency' again?" I asked scathingly.  
  
He shook his head. "No. A request, one that, however much it pains me, I intend to honor." I stopped moving.  
  
"Request?" I parroted. "By whom?" He sighed and turned away, looking out the small window on the sea. "Who, Norrington?"  
  
"Jack himself." I gasped. He wouldn't have – couldn't have – could he? I struggled to sit up again and finally, Blondie took the hint and helped me up.  
  
"Why on earth would he do something as foolish as that?" I demanded. "Renfield will kill him."  
  
Norrington nodded. "Most likely. But, that is not my concern."  
  
"Well it should be your damn concern! And if it isn't yours it IS mine, so let me go!" I struggled again in earnest, breaking free of my captor's grasp and bulleting towards the door, only to be met with the solid wall of the Commodore's chest. When he refused to move, I began pounding on it with my balled fists. "Let me go!"  
  
"I can't do that, Chloe." He sounded regretful, but I was too pissed off and worried to care. I hit him harder, unaware that Blondie approached from behind and took hold of my arms, gently tugging me away. My composure broke and I began to weep. I wept so hard that it shook the body of the blond man holding me from behind. He picked me up and set me down gently on the bed, and I curled away from him, my tears increasing in their intensity. I didn't hear the door close, and continued to cry, until my tears had exhausted me, and I drifted into sleep.  
  
"So, Captain Sparrow...how does it feel to be deserted...again?" Renfield asked with glee. He rolled his eyes and spat at his feet, getting a knee in the gut for his trouble. Renfield snarled. "Going the way of the women, are you, Sparrow? You know it took pitifully little to break Elizabeth. Your Chloe however, was the biggest spitfire I've seen in my time. Defying me at every turn. I had to tie her to my belt for a time, to prevent the wench from diving overboard. The crew was growing tired of pulling her out of the water every five minutes." He laughed a little, as if replaying the time in his head. Jack rolled his eyes again.  
  
"What do you want from me, Renfield?" Jack demanded. Renfield spun back and pointed an angry finger at the other pirate.  
  
"I want what's rightfully mine!" He shouted. "I want what you stole from me!"  
  
Jack grinned a little. "Oh...that."  
  
"Yes 'that'." Renfield growled shortly.  
  
Jack shook his head. "I am sorry, Renfield old chap, I couldn't resist, savvy? You know us pirates, aye?"  
  
Renfield cursed the smug look in the pirate captain's eyes and punched him in the jaw, sending Jack sprawling. Said pirate winced when his full body weight landed on his right arm, which crumpled beneath him. He hissed as the sting of fresh blood dribbling from the knife wound on the outside of his arm, along the tricep, from shoulder to elbow. The bastard had seen fit to cut him as soon as he was brought aboard, in obvious frustration at the loss of Chloe who had been picked up by Commodore Norrington when she had swung out towards the Dauntless, believing it was the Pearl. "Where is my map, Jack?" He demanded his voice hoarse with rage.  
  
"You know, I don't rightly know at the moment..." Jack murmured, rubbing his jaw with a free hand. "But, if you let me go, I could see about having it returned to you." He looked up at Renfield, eyes batting innocently. The other captain scoffed.  
  
"Let you go? And never see hide, nor hair of you again, letting you waltz away with the girl and MY treasure?" Renfield shook his head, "I think not Jack. You tell me where the map is, or I'll have you shot in the knees." Jack wrinkled his nose, obviously not liking the sound of that.  
  
"Listen, mate, can we not talk this out?" Renfield dragged Jack up by his injured arm. He bit his lip to keep from crying out when the other pirates long fingernails dug into the knife groove. Captain Jack Sparrow would die before he'd give this slime the satisfaction of hearing him cry out.  
  
"There will be no talking, except for you, telling me WHERE MY MAP IS!" He shouted, shoving him at his first mate. Jack's eyes widened at the sadistic grin on that man's face and tried to turn around, and escape the large dinner-plate hands that reached out for him. They closed around his shoulders easily and he was tossed over the large man's shoulder, his head bouncing against his bare back. Jack made a face at the stench that rose from the pirate's tan skin and looked imploringly at Renfield.  
  
"Ye might not want to be doin' this, mate." Jack shouted just as the door slammed shut. Renfield and his crew just laughed.  
  
I had had about enough of this sitting on my ass and waiting for something to happen. So I did the only thing I could. I shanghaied myself a commodore. "Chloe, you don't want to be doing this...this is sure grounds for a hanging..."  
  
"I'll give the hangman these shoes as soon as I rescue Jack, but not before." I declared, bringing the tip of his sword an inch closer to his throat. Norrington gulped. "Has my crew been assembled?" I demanded. Gillette stepped out from the shadows and nodded vigorously, his Adam's Apple, bobbing at the sight of a sharp implement placed so near his commander's life-giving artery.  
  
"Yes'm." Gillette mumbled, standing straight when the Commodore's eyes cut to his. "The Pearl has moored up on the dock and Gibbs is awaiting you in the lobby." I grinned and pulled the sword away from the Commodore's neck. Without so much as a backward glance I raced from the room and down the stairs. So much had to be done! 


	13. Counterfeit

Chapter Twelve: Counterfeit  
  
I grinned at Gibbs, who smiled back and extended his hand. Shifting the blade in my right to my left hand, I heartily pumped his fist. "Good to see you looking so well, Gibbs." He laughed.  
  
"When we heard you had a plan to rescue the Cap'n Anamaria and I turned the ship around in a hurry." The female pirate beside him rolled her eyes at his dramatics.  
  
"Well not as exciting as all that." She muttered. "We just want to help Jack." I nodded and held out a hand.  
  
"Gibbs, do you have the map?" He nodded and produced it from the pocket of his vest. I stared at the ratty piece of paper and grinned a little. "Let's hope the Commodore came through in the clutch." With that I whirled around and ran back the way I came, leaving the two confused pirates to follow suit.  
  
The commodore nodded stiffly at Gibbs and Anamaria as we met him on the landing of the stairs. I held out my hand, and he dropped a roll of aged paper into my hand. I grinned. "Okay gang, let's get to work." I smirked. "Operation 'Free-Bird' is underway." They all exchanged glances and I rolled my eyes. Apparently Lynard Skynard was wasted on this generation.  
  
After I was settled at a desk, staring at the real map, Gillette stumbled in, carrying a pen and ink well. I nodded in appreciation, before preparing to make the copy that would save Jack Sparrow's life. And he would never forget it. I thought, sticking my tongue out at the first tentative touches of pen to paper. After that though, my strokes grew faster and bolder, and before long, a replica was beginning to take shape. The Commodore whistled.  
  
"That looks to be a dead ringer." He complimented me, and I waved it away with an ink-smudged hand.  
  
"As close as I could get it." I muttered, finishing off the ornate doodling beside the compass rose. I surveyed my work. "Aye, that'll about do it." I muttered, impersonating Gibbs. The Commodore shot the portly pirate a glance and he just shrugged.  
  
"The crew's just about ready to shove off Miss Chloe." He said, and I nodded.  
  
"Okay, Commodore, you want to bring down Renfield and his crew? Here's your chance." The commodore nodded, before motioning to Gillette to prepare the fleet for departure.  
  
"Do not give the order to set sail until we are out of sight." He ordered, and Gillette nodded, scampering away to do his bidding. Anamaria rolled her eyes.  
  
"I still don't see why we need to involve the Navy. Who knows if they will uphold their end of the bargain and not capture us all in turn." I grinned and raised the sword slightly.  
  
"I have some inside help on that, Anamaria." I murmured, turning to walk out of the building, the commodore's face creasing in a warm smile before he ducked his head, replaced his hat and followed me. Anamaria looked at Gibbs who eyed her back.  
  
"What did she mean by that?" Anamaria whispered. Gibbs shrugged and turned to follow where the Commodore and I had gone.  
  
"Chloe!" I grinned and wrapped an arm around Elizabeth. Her wounded cheeks were now no more than two angry red lines of stitches under her expressive brown eyes. She smiled warmly, reaching behind her for Will's hand. Will nodded to us, and clasped her fingers gently, sending her a look of such lovesick devotion, I almost started weeping right there. There were moments when I hated being a girl. Like when my overwrought hormones got the best of me, at that moment, with the sun shining on the dark hair of the taller Will and making Elizabeth glow like she was wearing a golden halo, I despised being a girl. I swiped an angry fist underneath my eyes and I nodded sharply. "Be sure to thank your father for the temporary pardon of Jack and his crew." Elizabeth shook her head.  
  
"My father was more than happy to do it, being so delighted that I was returned alive, and relatively unharmed." Her voice lowered in pitch and Will slid an arm around her shoulders, comforting her with his embrace. I could see his other hand tighten on his cane to the point of white knuckles. I glanced at him and smiled reassuringly. They would work through it in time. I was sure of it. With a small nod I turned away.  
  
"Well then, we're off."  
  
"Chloe wait!" I turned back and regarded the pair curiously. "If I might, I would like to join you on this journey." I shook my head.  
  
"Impossible, Will." I muttered. "You are needed here, Elizabeth needs you to be with her now, not go gallivanting after pirates." I shook my head. "No, you must stay behind. The operation will go much more smoothly if you two are safely tucked away here."  
  
"'Safely tucked away'?" Will asked incredulously. "I have just as much reason to kill that bastard as anyone!" He declared, his hold tightening on Elizabeth's shoulders. The look on her face aroused my sympathies and I laid a calming hand on his shoulders.  
  
"Yes, but it is wiser for you to stay behind, and be with her now." I nodded to the wide-eyed terror on Elizabeth's face and Will blinked, hauling her close with murmured apologies. "She needs you now. Do not abandon her for vengeance." He huffed out a breath.  
  
"It is not right for you to go either." He returned, unevenly, stroking a hand through Elizabeth's hair. "You should not be 'gallivanting' anywhere yourself." I shook my head.  
  
"I am a member of his crew, Will, and as such, it is my duty to do what I can to get him back." Elizabeth frowned at me.  
  
"But what about the code?" She asked quietly. I faced her, and smiled.  
  
"I don't follow rules. I break 'em." And with that we continued on our way towards the ship.  
  
Once out at sea, with Gibbs at the helm and Anamaria arguing with the Commodore about how to properly tie off the sails, I was able to let my mind drift to Jack and his plight. I prayed that nothing too evil had befallen him, and I vowed that if Renfield had marred that beautiful face I would be forced to castrate him and promptly stuff the amputated organ down his throat. The mental image brought a smile to my lips, and I rested my head on my hands as I stared out at the waves, the sails filled with the tail wind that was bringing us closer to Jack. I was so entranced by the water, I didn't hear anyone approach until Anamaria laid a hand on my arm.  
  
"Chloe." I turned and looked at the worried frown on Anamaria's face.  
  
"What is it?" I asked, fearing her response.  
  
"You love him, do you not?" I goggled at her and felt my jaw unhinge at the unexpected question.  
  
"Well...uh..." I stammered, unsure of what to say.  
  
"Please, be honest with me." She asked. "I at least deserve that much." My eyes widened at the latent misery in her eyes and it suddenly dawned on me why Anamaria had disliked me from the start. My thoughts drifted back to the scene in the bedroom my first morning aboard ship, when she ranted and raved at the captain. There had been more than anger in her eyes then. There had been hurt as well.  
  
"You're in love with Jack, aren't you?" I asked quietly. She nodded slightly, but her gaze shifted from mine to the proud countenance of the Commodore, before snapping back to lock on mine.  
  
"You have not answered my question." She stated, a trifle harshly. I crossed my arms in front of me and leaned back against the railing.  
  
"Do I love him? Yes, I do." I sighed and ran my hands over my face. "The funny thing is, is that he loves me too."  
  
"I know." Anamaria grinned wryly. "I noticed." I goggled at her for the second time during our conversation.  
  
"So you knew." She nodded. "And you didn't throw me overboard?" I asked in amazement. She shook her head.  
  
"I thought about it, but it would have saddened the Captain and landed me in the brig for the rest of our journey, so I thought better of it." I grinned and she smiled back.  
  
She shook her head and turned so she was leaning against the railing next to me, keeping her eye on the comings and goings of the crew. Her eyes drifted again to the Commodore, who, this time was staring right back at her. With a slight sound she lowered her head, breaking eye contact. I noticed this little exchange but said nothing.  
  
"So when are we-" I started, only to be cut off.  
  
"SAIL HO!" Zhao shouted from the crow's nest. My eyes darted back out to sea, a hand reaching up to shade them as I caught sight of the outline of a ship on the horizon. I grinned.  
  
"Got you now you damned bloody bastard." I murmured. "Okay, time for Operation Free-Bird to commence." 


	14. Switch a Roo

Chapter Thirteen: Switch-a-Roo  
  
I grinned a little as the Pearl drew nearer to Renfield's ship and I could see the pirates scurrying about above decks, as if preparing to repel boarders. My grin turned sly and I crossed my arms over my chest. I had a better plan than rushing over there, half-cocked and getting more of Jack's pirates killed.  
  
"Run up the flag." I stated, staring at the ship as we gained on them with every passing moment.  
  
"The Jolly Roger?" One of the pirates asked, coming to stand beside me. With relish, I shook my head.  
  
"No. The white one." He looked at me like I was mad. "Do it." I commanded, and he backed away from the venom in my tone, going off, shouting orders to the other pirates. The flag had been raised just as we pulled even with the other pirate ship. Renfield eyed the white flag for a long moment before motioning for his crew to drop anchor. The Pearl did the same, and along with Anamaria, Gibbs and the Commodore, I walked across the gangplank.  
  
"Long time no see, Renny baby." I said mockingly.  
  
"What are you doing here?" He asked, angry. "And what on earth do you want?"  
  
I rolled my eyes. "Well I would die for a bath right about now, but seeing as that's not a possibility, I'd like my captain back, please."  
  
He laughed. "And you think I'm going to hand him over, just like that?" He looked over his shoulder at his crew and laughed some more, silently urging them to join in. They did, raucously and my eyes narrowed. "I don't think so, Miss Chloe." He grinned.  
  
"I wouldn't expect that kind of altruism from someone like you, Renfield." I spat, crossing my arms in front of my chest, before nodding to Gibbs, who produced the map from his vest pocket again, holding it out so that the captain could see what it was, my brows wiggled. "What I'm offering, Renny, is a straight up trade. This piece of paper, for my boozing superior." He looked at hard at me and I grinned. "Oh...what? Don't you trust me?"  
  
"Not as far as I can throw you." He muttered, turning to look at Gibbs. "Mr. Gibbs, I'm surprised at you...taking orders from a woman? Has she become the new captain of the Pearl? Or demoted you to her lap-dog?" Gibbs took a step forward and glared menacingly. I touched his arm soothingly and looked straight at Renfield.  
  
"Give us what we're after, or we'll take this elsewhere..." I warned, waving the map in Renfield's face. He snarled and turned to his first mate ordering him to fetch Sparrow. I grinned at Anamaria whose hand was clasped on the Commodore's arm. My eyebrows rose at the sight and she immediately loosened her hold. My eyes drifted back to the first mate as he reemerged from the bowels of the ship, carting an unconscious heap with him. My stomach leapt into my throat at the sight of blood, and I struggled not to cry out as Jack's bruised and battered face rolled towards mine when the large man dumped him on deck. I brought my gaze back to Renfield and glared at the amusement that was written there.  
  
"I've acted on faith, Miss Chloe...I'd like you to do the same." He nodded to the crumpled paper in my hand and I looked down at it.  
  
"You'll get your blasted map, Renfield." I growled. "But first, there is one more condition." He rolled his eyes and cocked a hip, waiting for this 'condition.' "Once we have given you the map, and are safely back on the Pearl, you must give your word that you will not fire on us."  
  
"Now why would I want to be doing that?" He asked, unknowingly parroting Barbossa. I ground my teeth.  
  
"If you don't I swear this map goes into the ocean and the only thing that will be able to use it are the fish!" I declared, storming over to the railing. Renfield gave a sharp cry and I turned back. "Do we have an accord?" I demanded hoarsely, my eyes darting from Renfield's arrogant face to the prone body of Captain Jack Sparrow. Renfield narrowed his eyes and nodded swiftly.  
  
"Aye, an accord." He announced, holding his hand out for the map. I placed it into his hand before dropping next to Jack, and rubbing his shoulder.  
  
"He needs medical attention." The Commodore declared after kneeling on Jack's other side, and performing a cursory once over of the man. My eyes stung as I helped the Commodore lift his heavy body, both of us hissing at his dead weight. Gibbs and Anamaria fell in step behind us, both of them having placed their hands discretely on their pistols, should any of Renfield's men try anything.  
  
We made it aboard the Pearl without incident, and I was now stationed below decks, on Jack's bedside. His shirt had been removed to a painful- looking pallet of bruises all up and down both sides of his trunk. I took his hand in mine, caressing the swollen fingers, it looked as thought Renfield had broken his hand in several places. I frowned. There wasn't much to do about broken bones in this time, if I recalled my history teacher correctly. With my free hand I dipped a cloth in the bowl of cool water at my side, and then mopped his forehead with it. If we were lucky, Jack would not grow feverish. My gaze traveled to his arm, wrapped shoulder to wrist in white bandages, and I frowned. But still, it would be best if Sparrow stayed out of the Free-Bird plans, and recuperated aboard the Pearl, whilst I shot Renfield in his big fat head.  
  
"Chloe?" The roughened voice was such a shock to me in the silence of his cabin, I dropped his hand, only to snatch it up again and stared at his face as his eyes fluttered open. His dark eyes were clouded with pain and fatigue, but to me, I didn't think I'd ever seen anything so beautiful.  
  
"I'm here, darling." I whispered, leaning closer to brush some hair from his forehead. He tried to smile, but it must have pained him too much, because his lips went lax almost immediately.  
  
"I'm dreaming..." He murmured, reaching his hand out to caress my cheek, only to wince and lower it before it had reached it's destination. "Why do I hurt?" He asked, curiously, lifting his head a tiny bit from the pillow to look at his prone body.  
  
"Renfield hurt you, baby." I whispered, undone by his pain-hazed ramblings. "But you're safe now, you're aboard the Pearl." He smiled tiredly and closed his eyes again.  
  
"He's awake." The statement came from the door and I looked up to see Anamaria standing there. I nodded wordlessly and she came in, seated herself on the other side of the mattress. "Jack? Can you hear me? It's Ana." She whispered. He coughed a little.  
  
"Aye, Ana, I can hear you, there's no need to shout, I'm right next to ye." He said quietly, keeping his eyes closed and swallowing. "What I wouldn't do for some rum right about now?" One eye slid open and peered at me cagily. I smiled, if he was asking for liquor, I could hazard a guess that he would be just fine.  
  
"Not now, maybe when you're better." I declared, making him pout at me. That is one powerful weapon, let me tell you! I turned away and busied myself with straightening the bandages.  
  
"Chloe?" I turned back and looked at Ana. "James says we ought to be turning around and heading for the Halls if we're planning on getting there before that...that...pirate." She stated, at length.  
  
"James?" I asked curiously, enjoying the slight flush that traveled up her neck at my reproof. She shook her head.  
  
"The Commodore says we should get underway."  
  
I nodded. Jack looked at both of us in confusion, actually a lot more alert than he was five seconds ago. "The Halls of Jubilation?" He asked, struggling to sit up. I helped him sit, and then wedged as many pillows as I could find behind him to keep him upright, as he had not the strength to do so himself.  
  
"Aye." Anamaria answered for me. Jack's eyes swiveled to mine and I played with my hair, before bringing my gaze fearlessly to his.  
  
"Why are you here?" Jack asked at length. "I told Norrington to keep you away." I shook my head.  
  
"And if you weren't flat on your back I'd pummel your sorry ass." I grunted, re-wetting the cloth and placing it to his forehead. He pushed my hand away and glared to the best of his limited ability. Both of his eyes were ringed in black circles, and I had trouble taking his anger seriously, since he looked like an oversized, disgruntled raccoon. "And I had every right to come after you."  
  
"Just how did you get me off of that boat?" He demanded.  
  
"Ship." I corrected, smiling.  
  
"Chloe." He warned. I rolled my eyes.  
  
"We traded him. The map for all our lives." His eyes widened.  
  
"You did...what? Why in heaven's name would you do a stupid thing like that?" I was growing tired of his attitude and so, after filling the washcloth with cold water a third time I placed it over his head and squeezed. The cold water dumped on his head and he yelped. "What in bloody hell was that for?" I shrugged.  
  
"I felt like it." I muttered plopping the washcloth back in the bowl. Anamaria grinned at me and I smiled back, before she turned and gave the two of us some privacy.  
  
"Do you realize, Chloe, that he could have killed you?" He asked running his good hand through his wet tangle of hair. I shook my head.  
  
"Not while I held something of value to him." I contradicted, reaching out and wiping a drop of water from his cheek, my thumb getting scrapped by the stubble raised on it.  
  
"Damn it, Chloe. I didn't want you to come after me!" Jack thundered and I rolled my eyes.  
  
"So I was just supposed to let you...what? Die?" I shook my head. "I'm sorry Captain Sparrow, but that didn't sit well with me." He groaned and raised a hand to rub his face. I sighed. "Jack, I'm smarter than it appears you think I am." He raised a brow sardonically and if he weren't in pain, I would have loved to slug him.  
  
"Oh? And how's that?"  
  
I rolled my eyes, sighing in exasperation. "Jack, I have a plan to give Renfield a boot in the ass."  
  
He perked up. "Oh? And how is that?" I leaned closer and started to explain what had happened up until that point.  
  
"Okay, after I knew you were captured, I came up with a preliminary plan, told the Commodore to send for the crew of the Pearl; I knew they'd come to help rescue you. Gibbs had the map, and I made a copy of it. Elizabeth got her father to pardon you and the crew temporarily, and the Commodore told Gillette to have the fleet follow us, only after we'd gone out of sight. After all, it wouldn't do to have the Royal Navy turn up in the middle of our negotiations, now would it? So, then we set out after Renfield. Once we had caught up to him, we set up a parley between us."  
  
"You didn't go there alone did you?" He demanded; I put a finger to his lips.  
  
"Do you want to hear this or not, Sparrow?" He settled into a sullen silence, but still listened avidly as I continued to give him the four-one- one of what was going on. "Anyway so, we did the trade and he let us go." Jack's brow was furrowed and I patted his hand consolingly. "It'll all make sense in a minute. Now that the fleet has caught up with us, we will take the round-about way of getting to the Halls of Jubilation, the fleet staying anchored on the other side of the island, while the Pearl's crew goes in and does what they do best." He cocked an eyebrow and I rolled my eyes. "Stealing, Captain Sparrow. Stealing. And while the crew is creating a diversion, I will sneak in, kill Renfield and that'll be the end of it." I grinned triumphantly, the smile fading when he continued to stare at me like I had lost my marbles.  
  
"It'll never work, Chloe." He stated.  
  
I bristled. "And how would you know, Sparrow?"  
  
"Because I'd never let you in there on your own to take on that vile piece of work." He shook his head. "No ma'am this plan does not go ahead unless you add one detail to it."  
  
I groaned and looked at him already fearing what it would be, and half-certain I already knew what that 'one detail' would be. "What is that?" I asked.  
  
"I'm going with you." I goggled at him.  
  
"Absolutely not, Jack Sparrow." I declared. "Look at you, you'll fall on your face before you've taken three steps. The last thing we all need is to keep looking out for you." I shook my head and crossed my arms. "You aren't going and that's final."  
  
"I don't go, you don't go, love." I growled but saw in his eyes that he was completely serious. With a huff of a breath I turned and stalked away. I could hear his laughter and I nearly turned back. "I'll see you on deck, darling." He called after me.  
  
"Not if I don't see you in hell first, Sparrow." I growled, completely and utterly pissed off at the sexy swashbuckler. 


	15. That's Amore!

Chapter Fourteen: That's Amore!  
  
"Hullo, darlin'." Jack murmured in my ear flirtatiously, dropping an arm casually across my shoulders. My eyes narrowed dangerously and I turned, grabbing his braided chin hair in a fist.  
  
"Don't you 'darling' me you dirty pirate." I hissed, before I released him and marched away. The nerve! I huffed. Jack caught me easily, and I wondered if the man had really been as injured as we had first suspected. He tutted into my hair.  
  
"That's no' very nice lovey." He complained, turning me around to face him. I stuck my tongue out, allowing myself the one small childish pleasure before closing my eyes and sticking my nose in the air.  
  
"Hmph," was all I said. He chuckled.  
  
"Come, now Chloe. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." I rolled my eyes, wondering just what his title had to do with anything.  
  
"Well I think you are selfish, moronic and...and...a drunk!" I declared, desperately trying to remain focused on my anger as his thumb traced little circles on the back of my hand. He was entirely too good at that. I decided, wrenching my hand from his grip. "Why do you have to be so damn difficult?" I demanded.  
  
"'Cause I can." He said simply, grabbing my hand with his again. "Don't be angry with me love, I just want to make sure you don't get yourself shot in the back." I glowered. The man was absolutely insufferable.  
  
"So, because I'm a woman, I am incapable of doing any sort of covert operation?" I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. He shook his head.  
  
"Nay, lassie. I just want to make sure you're safe." He grabbed my face and rubbed my nose against his. "You're special." I rolled my eyes and smiled slightly.  
  
"So are you Jack." I grinned and reached up, shoving the hat off of his head. "Special ED!" I ran off and he stared at me blankly.  
  
"My name's not Ed." He said after a long moment of confusion. He looked a Zhao, who just shrugged, shaking his head and mumbling, "Women."  
  
I was at the bow, hidden in the shadows of the railing, watching the hesitant dance of affection the Commodore and Anamaria were dancing around one another. Again I was stunned by the connection they seemed to display. I would have never paired them together, never in a million years. Of course, I mused sarcastically, I never would have paired me with Jack. My eyes drifted from the couple laughing by the mast, up to the helm.  
Jack had chased Gibbs away, waving his sword in the air like a mad man, and none of his crew had dared venture near it, for fear of being skewered. His eyes were on the horizon, and in his hand he had the map, crunched up so it looked like a little brown tuft sticking out horizontally from the wheel. I shook my head. I admit I acted like a bitch earlier. But, I reasoned the arrogant pirate deserved it. I frowned. But still, what he had said made sense.  
  
He wanted to keep me safe. But, on the flip side, I wanted to keep him safe too. It would come down to whoever's will was stronger. And I had a plan to make it so that I was the one who would be victorious. With a grunt I heaved me to my feet and marched up to the helm. "Hey Sparrow! I've got a bone to pick with you!"  
  
"What?" He looked at me curiously and I rolled my eyes.  
  
"I need to talk to you." I reiterated. He nodded and motioned for the hovering Gibbs to take the wheel. Said pirate pounced on it like a starving man on a crumb of bread and Jack stepped towards me.  
  
"What be on your mind, lassie?" He asked. I took a deep breath.  
  
"I wanted to apologize about being a royal bitch earlier." Jack shook his head but I covered his mouth with my hand. "Lemme talk, all right? I just wanted to tell you that, and also let you know I only wanted you to stay behind because I wanted to keep you safe, kinda like how you wanted to keep me safe." He frowned and I smiled. "I understand that, but I want you to understand that I can take care of myself." He quirked a brow, obviously bringing up my captivity aboard Renfield's ship. "Besides that, I am very capable of fighting my own battles. So I want to ask you one last time to stay here. You're hurt, and if you go off, waving your sword like a sugar- high schitzo...I don't know what will happen to you."  
  
"Wait a minute here..." He cautioned and again, I covered his mouth with my hand.  
  
"Please, Jack?"  
  
He shook his head. "I will not. I need to do this." I groaned and grabbed a handful of his shirt.  
  
"You are insufferable!" I declared, making him grin.  
  
"That I am." He nodded sagely and I groaned again. "Chloe, love, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. I can handle anything that comes along." I grabbed his shirt in both hands and dragged him closer. My plan was falling apart at my feet and all I could think about was how handsome he looked, for a raccoon. I smiled and dragged his face down to mine.  
  
We kissed in the setting sun, with the bustle of the crew around us. For one blinding moment, nothing existed in the world except for us, except for this.  
  
Anamaria sighed as she watched the scene unfolding by the helm. She grinned at James who looked at her questioningly. His gaze shifted and a small smile creased his face. She stared hard at the navy man, curiosity overwhelming the caution as she raised a hand, pushing the gray wig and hat from his head. He gasped and looked at her. She blushed and smiled a little.  
  
"I just wanted to see what you looked like without it." She murmured. He nodded slightly, and stood still, letting her look. The sun had tanned his skin to perfection, his dark brows finally matching the dark curling strands on his head. His eyes were set off by the dark hair, making them appear a fierce green as they gazed at her upturned face. It was unnerving and soothing at the same time to have to look up at him. She wasn't used to having to look up, most people were shorter than she was. She had to admit it was a nice change.  
  
"What do you think?" He asked at length.  
  
She edged her way closer to him, smiling. She rose up on her toes and leaned in, both hands resting on the taut muscles of his chest and bringing her mouth within a breath of his ear. "Leave it off." She whispered; reveling in the shiver that wracked his body, despite the heat of the day. This voyage was going to be a lot of fun, she decided, dropping back onto her feet and heading off to do some menial chore leaving James watching her curiously.  
  
Jack had dragged me back to his cabin after a few minutes of tongue twining kisses. We were now curled together on the covers, one of his hands running up and down one of my arms, and my hand running through the hair that spilled onto the pillow beneath his head. "Jack?" I asked quietly, moving my arms to encircle his neck. He looked down at me.  
  
"Mmm?" He murmured, burying his face in my neck. I sighed.  
  
"Can we stay like this until we get there?" He sighed and brought his arms around my waist, pulling me close.  
  
"We can do whatever you want, love." He whispered, making me shiver and reach up with my mouth, kissing him fervently. He answered the kiss with a heated one of his own. With less caution and more passion, we shifted and the kiss went deeper, as though we were both desperate to take our mind off of the destination the wind was bearing us towards. 


	16. Fallen

Chapter Fifteen: Fallen  
  
It was a shout that roused me. Reaching blindly toward Jack's half of the bed, I struggled to open my eyes. Just what in bloody hell was going on? With a mighty heave, I threw myself out of bed, not really caring what kind of state I was in, dressed or undressed, and toddled through the open doorway and up the stairs onto the sun-warmed deck.  
  
"What's going on?" I demanded, shoving my dark hair out of my face and squinting at the activity swirling around me. I looked around me and spotting Ana and James near the bow, I raced towards them. "Oy!" I shouted, bare feet pounding along the deck as I ran. "What's going on, Anamaria?" She started at my voice and shook her head when I approached.  
  
"Damn fool." She muttered. I went ashen. There was only one man who deserved that title ninety-nine percent of the time, and that was the man I had fallen in love with.  
  
"Damn you, Jack." I whispered, turning without so much as another word to the pair and racing back towards the helm in search of Gibbs. The island to starboard lay dark and foreboding in the azure waters of the Caribbean, and I had to fight the urge to scream. I knew that damn pirate couldn't be trusted. For, in the distance, lay the miniscule figure of Captain Jack Sparrow, rowing his dinghy merrily to his death.  
  
"Gibbs, ready a boat for persuit. The damn bloody bastard is going to get himself killed." I grumbled, recognizing the portly pirate's rum-soaked stench near my left arm. If that idiot did something rash like getting himself killed, I would hunt him down and tear out every last one of his braids before making him walk the plank naked into waters fraught with sharks with frickin' laser beams on their heads.  
  
I glowered in frustration as I lost sight of the dinghy, but the glare turned into a smirk as I heard the boat splash into the water. "Looks like Phase Two: Operation 'Free-Bird' is commencing a little earlier than anticipated." I mused.  
  
"Aye, Miss Chloe." Gibbs agreed.  
  
"Make a note, Commodore! Let your men know." And with that I had swung over the side and into the boat. Gibbs growled low in his throat about the stupidity of women, and grabbed two swords on his way down the rope. He tossed me one of them and I flushed. "Thank you." I murmured, moving so that the three other pirates joining us would have room to sit. I glanced up, waiting for Anamaria's spry form to catapult from the deck. Instead she stood on the brink, looking over her shoulder at something. Not something, I realized, grinning a little. Someone. With what seemed to be the greatest of hesitation, the Commodore leaned over and kissed her on the lips, soundly enough to have the crew whistling. He flushed and murmured something in her ear, before turning on his heel and marching away. Ana dropped into the boat heavily, and I grinned at her.  
  
"Should I let you two stay behind and finish that?" I chuckled and she glared at me.  
  
"Hist!" She grunted, grabbing up an oar. "We've got more important things to worry about than my love life." I nodded, but cast a sidelong look at her, grinning. I couldn't resist one last shot; it wasn't every day a chance such as this fell into one's lap.  
  
"Up until five seconds ago, I wasn't aware you had one." She glared at me half-heartedly, I could tell she was pleased more than she was pissed. My smile faded as we pushed away from the Pearl's hull and began the pursuit of our hasty comrade.  
  
Within minutes we pulled our boat beside Jack's and stared into the dense forest. It would be damn near impossible to track him through this underbrush. I grimaced and looked at Anamaria for advice. She was busy scanning the line of trees, desperate to find the break, which would show us Jack's path. The sound of breaking wood had our heads swiveling around and we all took off as one, racing toward the noise.  
  
I came upon him first. He was seated, calm as you please on a rock, a dagger in one hand, bottle of rum in the other. "Ahoy!" He chimed; grinning merrily at us as the remainder of my group stumbled into the clearing. The idiot was drunk as a skunk in November, I decided, anger coloring my worry until all I could see was red. "'Bout time ye blighters got 'ere." He muttered, swinging his arms about his head. "Been waitin' I 'ave."  
  
"Sparrow, you good-for-nothing cad!" I leapt at him, my hands grasping his throat with a bloodthirsty intent. We both tumbled off of the rock, me straddling his waist and him trying to keep his rum bottle from dumping its precious contents on the ground. It struck me then, and I raised a fist, punching him square in the nose, or at least, what I thought was his nose. The tears kind of distorted my vision.  
  
"You blithering idiot, why are you getting drunk? You sorry excuse for a Captain, I hope your fucking perfect nose is broken and you can't ever stand again..." I hiccuped, allowing the other pirates to pull me off of him. Jack sat up, one hand cupping his offended cheek (apparently my aim was WAY off), and the other shoving the bottle of rum towards Gibbs who took it, looking on at the scene with a reproach only a father can wear.  
  
"Why'd ye hit me?" Jack demanded, palpating the puffy skin of his cheek gently.  
  
"Because you're an ass, that's why." I seethed, struggling in Anamaria's grip, wanting to jump him again.  
  
"An ass, now, is it?" He demanded, standing up. "Well, just an hour ago, you were calling me all manner of things. None of which were any less than complimentary." He walked over to me and stuck his face in mine.  
  
"Well I take them all back!" I hissed, narrowing my eyes at him. He did the same and we stood like that for some time. When he continued to stare at me, I could feel my mutinous tears welling up again and I averted my head, yanking my arms from my captors' grasps.  
  
"We don't have time to argue." Anamaria, ever the voice of reason, declared. I shook my loose hair out of my eyes, raking my fingers through it. "Let's go, before those horrible excuses for pirates steal all our booty, aye?" I glared at Jack, and moved up beside her.  
  
"Aye." I nodded emphatically, leaving Gibbs to handle Jack.  
  
Ten minutes later I was staring at the map, with Jack looking over my shoulder. "Left." He decided emphatically. I rolled my eyes.  
  
"Are you blind, Sparrow?" I asked, pointing to the road as though that explained everything. "We go left, and we'll end up back in the ocean. Now, if we go right..." I pointed down a well-packed dirt road that curved off into the trees. To me it seemed like the obvious solution. Jack shook his head.  
  
"No. They'd be expecting us to go right." He pointed left again, and I stared at the dark and overgrown path. My nose wrinkled.  
  
"We'll go right." I muttered, starting off in that direction, only to be pulled up short and spun around to stare at Jack's angry face. He glared at me.  
  
"Don't be daft, woman." He bellowed, the trees shaking from his shout. I blinked. I had no recollection of any time Jack had to raise his voice. It was, to say the least, terrifying. I straightened my shoulders and looked him directly in the eye. He glared at me before dragging me around. I resisted the whole way, finally making him stop, and turn towards me. I was about to launch into another diatribe on his character when he grabbed me around the leg, and hoisted me over his shoulder.  
  
"Jack!" I squirmed, but his grip remained firm. "Jack Sparrow, put me down this instant!" He stopped and I smirked, but he only bounced me, adjusting my position on his shoulder. I grunted at the movement, wondering if this was how a kabob felt. My midsection felt positively skewered.  
  
"Be silent, lassie." He cautioned me, and with that we began moving again. Every time I struggled he'd bounce me, bruising my kidneys and liver to the point I'd begun to think of them as mush. After a long while of walking he dropped me on my feet. Unprepared for my sudden freedom, I toppled to the earth and stared up at him.  
  
"We'll be there in a few minutes. Go and collect your sword from Gibbs." He ordered a darkened look in his eye. I frowned at him, but he just turned on his heel and marched away. I got up hastily and followed him.  
"Jack..." He stopped and I laid a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"T'would not be wise to touch me now, lass." He murmured. I did not heed this quite plea, and walked around to look him in the eye. "Leave me."  
  
"No." I stated, crossing my arms over my chest and looking up at him. He looked away and I grabbed his face in my hands, turning his eyes back to mine. "I'm sorry." I traced gentle fingers over his cheek, discolored from my punch. He smiled slightly. "Not just for this, but for how badly I've treated you." I shook my head when he opened his mouth. I stared up into his scruffy face and felt something inside me rip. With a small gasp, I turned away. "I was just worried...and don't you tell me not to because you're Captain Jack Sparrow. That name doesn't make you immortal." He put his hands on my shoulders and squeezed.  
  
"I know that, love." He whispered. "But, I'll always come for you." He pressed a gentle kiss to my neck, his breath feathering my cheek and making my hair flutter slightly. "Always." I turned to look at him and smiled.  
  
Something rustled in the bushes to our left, and by the time I saw the gleaming metal of the blade, the shadow was already rushing towards me. I saw the thrust, turning my body to shield Jack from the blow. The pain shot through me like a thousand firey darts and I tumbled to the earth, Jack's name on my lips.  
  
I thought I heard Jack cursing the man as he parried with him over my prone body, and I felt his hands on me, his voice in my ear. "He's dead, lovely." His breath brushed sweetly against my parted lips and I closed my eyes, breathing in sharply. "You just hold on, you hear me?" His hands pressed into the wound in my side. "Hold on, damn you. Chloe!" With the feel of the cool earth on my cheek, and Jack's voice in my ears, I fell into the darkness that had opened up and welcomed me warmly inside.  
  
A/N -- Huddles inside my fort waiting for flaming arrows to skewer my body. GOMEN! GOMEN! Mesa sorry! It had to be done...well...yeah; it had to be done. I know...first I go all cheesy then my character gets stabbed (At least it wasn't Jack right?)...I guess I like stabbing and mutilating my OC's... SO SUE ME! I'm the writer here...right? ...Anyway, I will have the next chapter up poste haste....promise. Waits for the boos and hisses. I know! EVIL CLIFFIE!! As for flames on that little 'lovey-dovey' scene between Chloe and Jack. I don't give a flying fart in space if y'alls don't like cheese. I do, and I think that part is particularly lovely, thank you very much. ( Anyway...off  
to bed now...new chapter will be up soon. 


	17. Insult to Injuries

Chapter Sixteen: Insult to Injuries

Jack watched Anamaria kneeling beside Chloe, hands pressed to her side. "Jack, it doesn't look good." Her voice was soft, but it carried the distance between them as though it were a shout. "We need to either abandon this plan and head back to the Pearl…"

"No." Jack shook his head. "We'll continue with the plan."

"But Jack…" He cut her off with a look.

"You and Gibbs will accompany Chloe back to the Pearl, let the Commodore know, and tell him to deploy his troops a little early. Stay with her, Ana…I'm asking you." She noticed how worried he seemed, with his shoulders hunched and his fingers pressed to his temples. He paced back and forth, mumbling to himself. "Please, Ana, do this for me?" She blew out a breath and nodded.

"All right, Jack." She nodded to Gibbs. "Come on."

"What?" Gibbs eyed her. He had just walked back into the clearing, followed closely by two pirates carting the long sturdy trunk of a sapling to use as a litter to carry her. She shook her head and motioned for him to follow her back the way they had come.

"I really don't like leaving you all alone Jack." She declared one last protest before he waved her on.

"Chloe's all that matters now, Ana." He shook his head. "Get her back to the Pearl. I'm betting that Commodore Norrington has a surgeon on board. See if you can borrow his services." He brushed a hand through her dark hair, worrying over the overly warm feel the skin had to it. "Go." He encouraged. "Don't stand about wasting time!" He grabbed his sword from the neck of the prone pirate where he'd left it, and rushed off into the brush.

When I woke, I woke with a scream, flailing about and beating at the hands and arms holding me down in the bed.

"Take it easy lass." Gibbs voice broke through my nightmare and I gasped, covering my face with my hands. "You had a bit of an injury, just take it easy." I groaned.

"Why do I feel like my chest is on fire?" I demanded through parched lips. Anamaria was there, almost faster than if I had asked for her, holding a cup to my lips. I drank without question. The burn of the rum down my throat made me cough. "And where's Jack?"

"He wanted us to take you back to the ship so the surgeon could look at you." Gibbs replied.

"That wasn't my question, Gibbs." He nodded.

"Aye." He murmured. "Jack went ashore, to, uh…finish the operation." I gaped at him.

"You mean to tell me you let him go after that bastard while he's injured?" I demanded, sitting up, ignoring the fiery pain that danced along my ribs and across my back. I shook my head. "Shame on you." I growled, climbing out of bed, grabbing onto the bedside table when my head spun dizzily around my shoulders. "Shame on me too…"

"Yes, I could see how it was your fault you were stabbed." Anamaria replied glibly. I rolled my eyes at her and continued to walk drunkenly towards the door. "Just where do you think you're going, Chloe?" She asked me. I grunted in response and struggled with the doorknob.

"That's for me to know and you to butt out." I snapped. She chuckled and walked up to me, assisting me in opening the door. "Thank you very much." I said coldly, marching from the room. Well, really in hindsight, I must say my "march" looked much more like a toddler's first steps, but there you go. She followed me out and Gibbs brought up the rear.

"Chloe. Do you realize that you were almost killed today?" Gibbs puffed, climbing the steps swiftly to keep in stride with the rest of us. "Jack would not want you going off half-cocked on some hair-brained scheme that's more'n likely going to get yourself killed."

I cocked an eyebrow at him and grunted again, struggling to keep from fainting as I felt the gentle breeze floating on deck nearly knock me over. "Well, he should realize by now, that I'm a champion of the hair-brained scheme, and expect me to use them at any opportunity." I nodded slightly. "As for getting myself killed. That option sounds much more appealing than losing him." I shoved past them, grabbing up an unattended belt containing a pistol, shot, powder and a dagger. "Don't wait up for me." I murmured scathingly. "Mommy." Then I was gone, hurrying down the gangplank, splashing through the shallow waters and trudging up the beach.

I hurried through the jungle like the dogs of hell were on my heels, praying that I wasn't too late, hoping that Jack had fallen in a hole somewhere, keeping him safe from harm. I glared slightly, my anger at his rash actions returning. The idiot deserved to be strung up by his toenails.

Crashing through the brush made me feel like some sort of sleek jungle cat, and I bared my teeth, pain forgotten in the sudden rush of adrenaline.

A gunshot made me stop, skidding to a halt in the bedding of decaying leaves. I panted heavily, reaching out a hand, resting it on a tree trunk trying to regain my strength. The run had sapped me and I felt about as rigid as a limp noodle. The voices had my spine snapping straight and prudence sent me diving into a patch of bushes.

The pirates were sloppily drunk and I smirked when one tripped over a tree root and fell on his face. They were complaining noisely as they retreated to help their fallen comrade to his feet. "C'mon Gatson, on yer feet." One of them barked. I shook my head to clear the angry pounding behind my eyes, blinking rapidly. Missing Jack's entrance to my left.

"Have at ye, y'scurvy dogs!" He cried, brandishing his blade before slicing the still prone Gatson in half. The other three pirates leapt away from the bleeding corpse and drew their swords.

He took the sword off of Gatson and swung both of them, catching Baddie Number One in the arm and ducking under the killing blow of Number Three. I pulled out my dagger and pulled myself into a low crouch. The moment I saw Jack hesitate, I leapt forward, taking Number One out around the neck. I plunged my dagger in his neck, jerking back when the bright red blood spurted up, coating my face and arms with its sticky warmth. I leapt off of his body and cornered number two. He drew a second blade, swiping at me with his sword.

I avoided, barely, cursing when the wound in my side protested violently. I pushed the pain back and managed to drop and spun around, tripping him with my outstretched leg. He lost his grip on his sword and I leapt onto his chest, pressing my dagger to his neck. His arm deflected the blow as he tried to stab me with his own dagger. I caught his hand, pressing my advantage by rising to my haunches, using my body weight to press the blade downward.

The arm holding the blade coming toward my face was shaking with effort and I grunted, giving one final push. He rolled, pinning me beneath his body. Before I had to worry about this position, He slumped against me, the dagger dropping from his hand. I grunted and shoved at his body, but failed to move him. Suddenly, Jack's head peeked over the curve of his back and the body jerked, apparently from Jack's abrupt removal of the blade. I felt my stomach roll excruciatingly. He pulled the body off of me and hauled me up, both of us wincing at the same time.

"What are you doing here?" He demanded.

"I could ask the same of you." I retorted, putting my hands on my hips. "You're barely strong enough to stand unassisted for five minutes, what possessed you to march out here and try and take on four pirates by yourself?" He scoffed.

"What possessed _you_, a person who was unconscious mere hours ago to attack a man with two blades, and you only armed with a dinky dagger?" I rolled my eyes, ignoring the shooting pains in my side.

"Okay, let's table that issue for a moment." I told him angrily before advancing on him. He eyed me warily and I wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing him thoroughly. His arms came around me and his lips grew mobile under mine. "You stupid idiot." I mumbled raining kisses over his face. "I could strangle you."

He grunted and deepened the kiss. "You mutton-headed fool." He retorted. "Once we're all healed and Renfield is dead and buried, I'm going to throttle you. Or make love to you until both of us can't move." He drew his face back and looked at me. "I haven't decided yet."

"You'll make up your mind." I told him. "Come on, let's find Renfield." I laced my fingers with his, grabbing a sword on our way out of the clearing.


	18. A Spider's Web

Chapter Seventeen: A Spider's Web

Now, the exit might have been what some fan fiction writers would call romantic, if a bit unrealistic. And, to tell you the truth, they'd be right. After grabbing Jack's hand, I'd taken about four steps before crashing. Kaboom! In a dervish of flying leaves, and limbs, I ended up on the ground, staring up at the canopy of lovely green leaves, trying to battle back the red haze of pain that was inching its way over my vision. For, I knew, not far behind that crafty reddish pain was the deep, impenetrable dark of unconsciousness.

It most certainly didn't help things that Jack was sprawled over my middle. "Get off of me you oaf!" I yelped. "You weigh a bleeding ton!" He scrambled off of me but instead of rising to his feet, he stayed crouched above me, staring down into my face. "What's the matter with you?" I grunted, struggling to get up. He pressed the heel of his hand to my shoulder, pinning me easily to the ground.

"You're not going anywhere until I inspect you." He said soberly. I rolled my eyes, smirking at him.

"Jack, I'm sorry to break it to you, darlin' but we don't have time for that." Jack rolled his eyes and dropped his head, busily tugging at the loose fitting man's shirt hanging off of my frame. "Jack." I giggled when his fingertips grazed the bottom edge of my ribcage. "Jack!" I squealed. Then his fingers encountered my freshly ripped stitches. "OUCH!" I shoved at his hand. "You bloody heathen!" I shouted, scooting away when his hand traveled back to yank the fabric up. "Leave me go!" I whined when he started probing again.

"Well, congratulations." He said after a moment of painful observation. "You've managed to rip every stitch the good doctor put in your stubborn carcass." I rolled my eyes and pushed myself into a sitting position. "You're going back to the ship."

"The hell I am." I retorted. "An' you can't make me." I stated crossing my arms across my chest. He just reached over and gave my shoulder a light shove, sending me back to the earth. I pushed myself up again. "Muscle me around all you want," I told him. "But, I'm not going."

He stuck out a single finger and gave me an even gentler push, sending me sprawling. "All right, leave off!" I ordered. "You've made your point." I conceded but, before he could smirk in victory I shook my head. "I'm still not going anywhere."

He rolled his eyes at me. "You stubborn wench." He muttered, turning his face away. I sighed and scooted over. "Can't you give me this one moment of peace, and not make me worry about you every moment I draw breath?" I shrugged. "Can you not give me that much?"

"Sorry, Jack. You jump; I jump, okay?" Jack stared at me blankly and I shook my head at the sadness that this generation had been denied the cinematic masterpiece of Titanic. (Yes, I'm kidding. Can't you tell?)

"What?" Jack grunted, leaning back on his arms, his wounds giving him trouble as well. My keen eyes caught his discomfort and I pounced on him. Or, rather, dragged my suddenly numb limbs through the decomposing organic matter to his side.

"It's my turn." He eyed me and I gave him a shove onto his back before reaching for his belt buckle. I tugged his dirtied cream shirt from its tucked position and all but ripped it in half in my haste to have it off. His bruises still looked fresh, and I couldn't help but cringe, as I looked them over. A less pig-headed male would have admitted his weakness and settled back against the pillows, milking the fact that he would have two females and an entire crew at his beck and call. But would Jack? Oh, no, no, sir, not him. I rolled my eyes.

"I hate boyscouts." I muttered. Jack again shot me a confused frown, but I waved his confusion away. He hissed when my fingers encountered a tender spot, and I soothed it with cool fingers before moving on. I ran my hands over both of his shoulders, and in all my innocence, I was beginning to forget the reason I was running my hands over his magnificent form. My hands trailed down his injured arm, where I stopped abruptly. The bandages in his long knife wound were all but soaked through.

I took into account that we had just killed some baddie pirates, but, I couldn't take the chance. Straddling him, I brought his arm under my line of vision and began to unwrap it. "Chloe." His grunted murmur was ignored as I unraveled the sodden cloth, his long, thick wound being exposed inch by painful inch. I made a small sound in the back of my throat and ran the tips of my fingers along the reddened flesh. "Chloe." He was even more breathless now, and I felt a hand drift up my back to tangle in the messy ponytail that hung down. His fingers tangled in the hair, and it was at that point, I _knew _we were both getting distracted from the task at hand.

But, sue me for living, I didn't much mind.

I allowed his hand to cup the back of my neck, brining my torso down to lay along his, my mouth lined up with his, our breaths mingling in the humid air. My eyes were glued on his feverish chocolate gaze, making my hands clutch convulsively on the ruined bandage in their grasp.

"Kiss me once." He whispered. "Just kiss me." He murmured. I dropped my eyes to his lips and my tongue darted out to wet my own before I brought them to his for a short kiss. With the groan vibrating in my mouth, I could tell he was struggling not to take it deeper. Mackin' it in the jungle with all sorts of unscrupulous characters about was anything but wise. So, being the prudent being that I am (hardy har, har; keep the wise cracks to a minimum please), I slid away from his body and his oh, so tempting mouth.

"Come here." I whispered. "I'll rewrap yours if you'll wrap mine." He gave me an odd look before he saw me reach for the hem of my shirt, ripping off a perfect strip to wrap around his injured forearm. Now, don't look at me that way, I don't know how fabric does that, it just, well…rips!

Jack allowed me to bandage him again, tying the dressing securely before he reached down and pulled out a handkerchief he'd stowed in the back pocket of his trousers. Don't ask me where he got it. I was just as surprised. He folded it and gently pressed it to my wound, encouraging me to lie down to give him better access. I did so, and he then reached over and tore another strip from my shirt and tying it around my middle to keep the padding in place.

By now you think I was walking around with nothing but sleeves and a collar. Wrong again. I had been gifted that shirt from the surprisingly diverse closet of Gibbs. I know, one wouldn't think it to look at him, would they. Oh, dear, but don't tell him I said so. I'd never hear the end of it.

As it was, I never heard the end of his "best" shirt being ruined to patch up a few bird-brained idiots without the common sense of a radish to split between them.

So, after we were all bandaged up, we two radishes struggled to stand, and gathered our weapons before heading on our merry way to catch ourselves a pirate who needed culling.

"I still don't want you coming with me." Jack muttered as we lumbered along, the walking loosening the tight muscles. Apparently I was very lucky. The sword went through the fleshy point just above my hip, missing all sorts of vital viscera. At least that's what Jack had repeated like some sort of mantra.

"Well, too bad. We don't get what we want all the time, do we now, Jacky-poo." He rolled his eyes.

"A more stubborn lass I've never met." I beamed at him and laced my arm through his. "And of course, you're just off your rocker enough to take that as a compliment." He muttered, but nonetheless, he covered my hand with his before returning it to the hilt of his sword.

"I couldn't agree more." The voice had us stopping in our tracks, both of us going for our swords at the same moment, taking a step away from the other and ranging ourselves back to back. Renfield stepped out from the shrubbery and my hand tightened reflexively on the blade. I was aware of the pistol hugging my side and had started to reach for it when Jack caught my eye. His head-shake was almost imperceptible but I dropped my hand away. "Wise." Renfield murmured, stepping up to look us both in the face. "My men would have gunned you down before you could even pull the gun from your belt." He grinned. "Drop your weapons." Having no choice, we lowered the swords. "And the belt, Chloe, if you please." With a hiss of anger, I let it fall into the dirt. Jack's hand sought mine and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

The way he lingered over my name made me want to spit in his face, but I restrained myself. "Come, take a walk with me." And again, having no choice, we followed.


	19. Rescue of the Most Unexpected Nature and...

Chapter Eighteen: Rescue of the Most Unexpected Nature and the Case of the Missing Wig

I think Rennfield knew how wounded we were. In fact it wouldn't have surprised me a lick if he admitted to watching our little episode from the bushes. And just the thought of that was enough to grip Jack's hand tighter. He glanced down at me and gave my fingers a reassuring squeeze.

"I'm so glad we could all be together again." Rennfield murmured in a sickeningly sweet voice. I shot Jack a look.

"Can I hurt him?" I asked in a soundless whisper. Jack shook his head. "Just a little bit?" I pressed. In answer Jack squeezed my hand tighter. "I have a knife in my back pocket..." I continued, yelping a little when Jack squeezed my hand so hard that my bones ground together.

"Let me guess, you're lusting after my treasure, Jack." Jack shook his head, his step faltering a little and he leaned heavily on me. And, as I was not the most stable pillar of strength to begin with, we almost toppled off into the grass.

"Well, mate, I'm hurt. One would think you'd know me by this time." Jack replied once we had righted ourselves. Rennfield continued walking, seemingly oblivious to our state of duress. The bastard was wearing us down. I narrowed my eyes at his back and bit my lip in order to stave off unconsciousness. I'd be damned if I allowed this ass the pleasure of knowing he'd broken me – twice. I growled low in my throat and would have reached for the dagger if Rennfield's words stilled my action.

"Oh, but I do know ye, Jack." He said. "Better than ye think." And he whirled around, bashing Jack upside the head with the butt of his pistol. I screamed loudly, ignoring the other pirates and falling beside him. "You always were too trusting." He chuckled.

"You bastard." I growled.

"Well, he never asked for a parley." He said shrugging his shoulders. "Shall we?" He asked. I shook my head and he laughed. "No need to worry about Sparrow, my lads will assist him." Said burly men shoved me aside and lifted the limp captain so he was draped between their tree trunk arms.

"Who says you'll keep him alive if I obey?" I asked distrustingly.

"Who says I'll keep him alive if you don't?" Rennefield retorted. Having no other choice I fell into step beside Rennfield behind the two pirates dragging Jack.

"Why are you such an asshole?" I wondered aloud. He glared at me before shrugging lightly.

"Runs in the family I guess."

I stared at him. Did Rennfield just try to make a funny? I shook my head. Weird. "Mm hmm." I looked over my shoulder to make sure his evil henchmen weren't trying anything funny on my pirate captain.

It was time to start formulating a plan. From the way Jack's head lolled back and forth I knew he wouldn't be much of a help. And at this point and time I was finding it difficult to stand upright much less walk. Rennfield's smile kept getting more and more smug and I wanted to smack it off of his face, but couldn't drum up the energy. What we needed was a miracle.

Just then a plethora of screams echoed around us in the brush and the crew of the Pearl rushed forward, lead by none other than Will Turner. I goggled. Will Turner? WTF, I thought I told him to stay with Elizabeth. Then, right after him came a woman dressed in breeches that was most definitely not Anamaria. Elizabeth Swann? I pressed a hand to my head.

This was all too much, really.

Rennfield gave a cry of alarm before dashing off into the trees. Many of the crew followed after him while the rest dealt with the two burly men clinging to Jack like he was their source of power.

Gibbs trotted over to my side and patted me on the back. "Are you all right, missy?" I nodded and looked over at Jack, who was now free of his pirate-growths and was being looked over by Elizabeth Swann.

"What are they doing here?" I asked in an incredulous voice.

"They're stubborn people, Chloe." Gibbs said wisely. I rolled my eyes. I hadn't noticed, Gibbs. Goodness. I nodded slightly and headed over to where the pair was standing, Will's arm around Elizabeth's waist.

"Top o' the mornin' to ye." I said in a horribly bad Irish accent. So sue me, I'm Scandinavian, what do you want from me?

"Oh, hello, Chloe." Elizabeth greeted me with a flippant air that had my mouth dropping.

"'Oh, hello, Chloe'?" I asked. "What are you doing here? I told you this was no place for you." Will glowered at me, and Elizabeth soothed him with a hand on his arm.

"We had to come help." She explained. I huffed out a breath.

"Who just saved your arse?" Will growled. I rolled my eyes.

"Don't get so cocky." I told him. "I was in the process of thinking of a probable escape plan." He stared at me for a moment and I sighed. "All right, all right. I'm glad to see you guys." Elizabeth smiled brightly and hugged me. "But I really hope the crew doesn't kill Rennfield. I wanted to do it."

"There will be no killing." A new voice said from behind me. I whirled around and stared. Would the shocks never end?

"Commodore?" I shifted my gaze a little. "Anamaria?"

"Indeed." The commodore said. His eyes narrowed when I refused to take my eyes off of him. "Is something amiss, Miss Chloe?" I covered my mouth with my hand and swallowed a cackle.

"I had no idea you were so…young." I managed before I burst out into fits of giggles. The commodore was walking around in the nude…his head was missing the hairpiece that had always reminded me of a spray-painted bit of road-kill.

"I convinced him he looked more dashing without it." Anamaria chuckled patting his arm as I continued to howl with laughter.

"Dashing?" I choked. "Commodore?" That made me laugh even harder. "Whoo…" I wiped my eyes and smiled demurely at the dark look Commodore Norrington was sending my way. "Boy, that hard tack is dangerous stuff. I wouldn't recommend eating too much of it."

"If we could, Miss Chloe." Commodore Norrington grumbled. "I'd like to catch Rennfield sometime this century."

"Har har har, I'm a funny commodore." I grumbled walking over to where Jack lay face down in the leaves. "Jack?" I shook his shoulder lightly and he groaned.

"Chloe?" He blinked up at me when I turned him over to look into his eyes. He raised a hand and patted my cheek, before it fell back to rest on his forehead. "Where's me hat?"


End file.
